Overview:
Management of 12 Sports Rounds Promotion has since apologized to the entire boxing fraternity including the boxers, Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC), fans, sponsors, media and others.
The long-awaited middle-weight boxing bout between Uganda’s prized Kassim “The Dream” Ouma and Kenya’s two-time Olympian Rayton “Boom-Boom” Okwiri did not happen as planned.
A combination of ill-factors led to the abrupt disruption of the planned contest dubbed “Rumble in Kampala”.
A heavy down-fall moments before the bout (, swift change of venue from the Lugogo Cricket Oval, security, late payments to boxers and sheer bad-luck account for the sad tales.
The Ouma versus Okwiri bout was meant to be the biggest on the night, but, sadly the fight did not unfold as planned.
Fight promoter Steven Sembuya Magulu of 12 Sports Rounds Promotion has since issued an apology through media release to the different stakeholders, vowing to bounce back stronger than ever.
We feel disappointed that the event didn’t go as planned and I know each of the fans that paid to watch and the boxers that didn’t fight feel the same. We had to make a late decision either to postpone the event or switch the event to another venue. We did switch and this came with several challenges including heavy down falls as the Kassim Ouma vs Rayton Okwiri was about to happen means also two other big fights didn’t happen., issues with Security and KCCA. We would like to take this opportunity to first of all thank all fight fans, our sponsors and the fighters. As 12 Sports Rounds we did everything to put up the biggest boxing event in the region including flying in the best boxers in Africa and world and their coaches (total 9 people); some advanced purses in form of air tickets for extra people in the case of Rayton Okwiri as well as paid accommodation for all of them.
Steven Sembuya Magulu, director of 12 Sports Rounds Promotion
Apologies and way forward:
Management of 12 Sports Rounds Promotion has since apologized to the entire boxing fraternity including the boxers, Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC), fans, sponsors, media and others.
They have also promised to compensate the fans who had already paid to access the venue.
As 12 Sports Rounds Promotion, we have given the fans some of the biggest and best boxing shows in the region this year. We will continue to aim for the best and one of the reasons professional boxing is being talked about. And we are proud of it. In our next solely promoted event, we will let the fans pay half the price for the tickets in compensation. Thank you fight fans, thank you UPBC, thank you the fighters and thank you our sponsors.
Steven Sembuya Magulu, director – 12 Sports Rounds Promotion
Organizers were caged between a rock and a hard place with the earlier communicated venue of Lugogo Cricket Oval was changed at the 11th hour to Lugogo Hockey stadium.
“When the decision was made that we could not access the Lugogo Cricket Oval, we had no other option than use the Lugogo Hockey stadium. This caused a lot of inconveniences especially with setting up the ring, tables and other things in place.” Ali Faisal Ashinda, the match maker remarked in an earlier interview with Kawowo Sports.
Several undercard fights were successfully held before hell broke loose late in the wee-hours of Monday night when some fighters reportedly shied away from the ring before being paid off their monies.
