1st Nov 2013: At Club Obligato
Super Light Weight: Fred Muhumuza (Ug) Vs Patrick Amote (Kenya)
Super Middle Weight: Robert ‘Ring Doctor’ Kamya Vs Charles Kakande (Re-match)
Bantam Weight: Sula Segawa (Uganda) Vs Herve Zongo (Congo Brazzaville)
Heavy Weight: Hudson Muhumuza (Uganda) Vs A kenyan opponent yet to be named
Heavy weight professional boxer Francois Botha and Howard Goldberg, the World Boxing Federation President will be in Uganda come November this year if plans by Big Strikers International and Uganda Boxing Union (UBU) to bring the four- time world title challenger materialize.
Botha who is popularly known as The White Buffalo was on February 20th 2010 supposed to challenge former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield at Mandela National Stadium Namboole for a world title but the then organizers failed to meet the requirements.
Holyfield was scheduled to face the South African (Botha) in a 12-round bout at Nelson Mandela Stadium, where organizers predicted a crowd of 80,000. However, Holyfield said the promoter failed to make a scheduled payment, forcing him to scrap the idea of coming Uganda.
Roger Senyonjo the secretary Uganda Boxing Union said on Tuesday that they have already struck a deal with Mogas Petroleum Company to fly in Botha who will be in Kampala to formerly launch a long term working relationship with UBU and the World Boxing Federation (WBF).
He confirmed that Botha will be coming with Howard Goldberg the president of the World Boxing Federation to which UBU subscribes.
“We are working around the clock to ensure that we secure air tickets and also accommodation for the three days they will be staying in Kampala “said Senyonjo who added that the two are ready to support UBU’s activities and existence.
The 44-year old Botha will also grace the Mogas National Championship fight that will see Super light weight boxer Fred Muhumuza battle Patrick Amote of Kenya in the main fight due November 1st at Club Obligato.
Muhumuza’s last fight was against Hamza Sempewo whom he defeated on points last year at YMCA courts Wandegeya while Amote’s last appearance in Kampala, he lost to Zebra Senyange on points at Garden City Rooftop in 2012.
Emmanuel Mwesigwa the promotions manager at Big Strikers International and the fights match maker said the other fights on card is a super middle weight title re-match between Robert ‘Ring Doctor’ Kamya and Charles Kakande. Kamya won the first fight that was held at Garden City Rooftop last year.
Former bombers captain Sula Segawa will be up against Congo Brazaville’s Herve Zongo in an 8 round bantam weight non title contest while heavy weight boxer Hudson Muhumuza will be tussling a Kenyan opponent yet to be identified.
Who is Francois Botha:
Francois Botha (born 28 September 1968, in Witbank, Mpumalanga), also known as Frans Botha, is a South African boxer, nicknamed “The White Buffalo”.
Botha is a four-time world title challenger. Since his days as a contender came to an end in 2002, an aged Botha has competed in numerous kickboxing and mixed martial arts events. As an amateur, he was knocked out by Corrie Sanders three times out of their four fights.
Botha has had a relatively distinguished career as a heavyweight boxer, having fought several world heavyweight champions including Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, Axel Schulz, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. Botha suffered a fifth round knockout to Mike Tyson,and the famous fight with Shannon Briggs, who stopped draw.
Botha had a victory in 1995 against Germany’s Axel Schulz to win the IBF heavyweight Championship, but later tested positive for the steroid nandrolone [1] he and his camp claimed to be prescribed by a doctor for an arm injury. The result of the fight was then changed to a “No Contest” and the IBF do not recognize Botha as former champion, although Botha was introduced as a former champ in every single professional boxing contest he has engaged in since.
In 1996 “The White Buffalo” bounced back with a courageous effort with Michael Moorer for the IBF crown on the undercard of Mike Tyson’s first contest with Evander Holyfield. Moorer knocked him out in the twelfth round. This eventually led to fights with Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, and heavyweight title showdowns with Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. Botha came up on the short end via knockout in both of those encounters for the heavyweight title.
Four months after the Klitschko fight, Botha fought contender Clifford Etienne, and knocked him down twice, but was denied a victory and received a majority draw with two judges scoring it 94-94 and one judge scoring it 95-93 in favor of Botha. This was in Etienne’s hometown.
