National team boxing head coach Dick Katende is a happy man after watching boxers stage good fights in the national second boxing trials competition held on Easter Monday at Aero Beach in Entebbe.
“Am very pleased with these boxers’ performance because most of them followed my guidelines such as executing offensive, good defensive moves and they also had endurance in the dying minutes”. Dick Katende who was reappointed to the job he last held in 2007 said to Kawowo Sports.
38 boxers fought in their respective weights, at an event that witnessed a huge turn up of fans at the showers of Lake Victoria. The boxers’ speedy and targeted punches continued to excite the head coach. “Their punches were fast enough to hit opponents which was good because it enables you to score”. Dick Katende who is to trim the team to ten boxers ahead of Glasgow Commonwealth games added.
In the day’s fights, judges hoped for a split decision in favor of Nassir Bashir against UPDF’s Geoffrey Kakeeto when the duo crushed in Bantam weight of 56 kilograms.
In the early fights, Katwe Boxing Club’s Bryan Lwanga lost 3-0 to East Coast BC’s Fazil Juma Kaggwa in Light weight category of 49 kilograms, while Cobab BC’s Joseph Kalema defeated Police’s Moses Kabuka by 3-0 in the same weight.
In Fly weight (52kg), Rogers Ssemitala of Cobab Boxing Club won 3-0 against Police Boxing Club’s Yasin Adinan whose club-mate Christopher Matovu, also lost 3-0 to UPDF’s Mzee Aldina in Bantam weight group of 56 kilograms.
Another split decision from the judges indicated that Hassan Abdul of UPDF Boxing Club defeated Moses Mukiibi from Kololo Boxing Club in the Light weight group of 60 kilograms. In the same weight, Raymond Musisha (Police Boxing Club) beat Bob Moses Asiya (East Coast Boxing Club) by 2-1.
Elsewhere, Tony Mukiibi from Sakku Boxing Club defeated Shadir Musa of East Coast BC by 3-0, while a split decision from judges saw KCCA Boxing Club’s Musa Mugosha win Saddam Sserwanda from Kampala Boxing Club.
In the Ladies’ wing, Julie Akumu of Katwe Boxing Club beat Hellen Nantale of KCCA Boxing Club 2-1 in highly cheered Light weight (57-60kg) fight.
However, the fights of Dian Tulyanabo against Hellen Baleke in the Middle weight (69-75kg) category and Yusuf Babu against Nasser Bukenya in Welter weight group were called off due to insufficient lights at the venue. They are now scheduled for Saturday, 26 this month at MTN Arena in Lugogo, the date that will also see the third boxing trials being held and finally coach Dick Katende name his squad to the national team ‘The Bombers’.
It won’t be forgotten that the Bombers missed out on various international engagements last year, including the prestigious London Olympic Games as a result of administrative wrangles.
Also, in 2010, the Bombers missed out on the Commonwealth Games in India for the same reasons.
But this time round, Boxing will have a big representation unlike in 2008 when only one pugilist – Ronald Serugo competed at the Beijing Olympics.
Athletics will dominate the contingent with 19 runners and four officials. Rugby has 12 players and three officials while, Badminton and Table tennis have four each.
Swimming, Shooting, Cycling and Weightlifting have three each, while Paralympics has five slots.
Despite the recent troubles, boxing remains Uganda’s most successful sport and Glasgow will present the Bombers a chance to rise and shine again.