- Unlike previous tournaments, where ladies were declared champions without dropping sweat, the Open was serious business.
- The four ladies’ bouts produced some serious boxing. Swedish Sandra Attermo, Zawad Nangendo both of Kampala Boxing Club, Jalia Naali (Busia Nyagweso B.C) and Milly Nasuna (Cobap) stood out with gold. Although they are still below the standard for World Championship next year, they can get better.
Massive crowds
Sunday’s final was historic in Kenneth Gimugu’s era regarding attendance and gate collections. The MTN Arena was unusually filled to capacity. US-based Olympian Jonathan Kiriisa, could have gone with the impression that this is how things happen here, but this was a special day. Betway manned the gates and though we are yet to know the official figures, organisers should look for ways to ‘lock these fans inside’.
Overwhelmed technical team
Divisions in the boxing federation have sometimes made simple tasks hard. If tournaments start without a genuine organising committee, Patrick Lihanda’s understaffed technical team is overwhelmed and is often caught offside. Fight supervisor Stephen Aciga Fula is often accused of overruling the judges’ decisions in some clubs’ favour, which partly caused the Tuesday uproar. Well, boxing, the world over, isn’t immune to bias but some mistakes can be avoided. Where international rules are not clear, the technical team should set competition by-laws prior. Why still argue, on the final day, whether to award or not to award points to boxers who advanced on walkovers?
Why let a boxer win a quarterfinal bout, before realising he fought a wrong opponent and cancel his point? Why let a team manager of a club be the timekeeper of a bout that involves his boxer? Why give a club 23 points yet actually they won 20 points — just because you added them three points which were won by a boxer in a subsidiary club?
KCCA’s Galactico policy
Beginning 2016, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Boxing Club overhauled its squad replacing the likes of Umar Mutebi, Musa Mugisha, Abdu Njego, among others, who belonged to the old, impoverished KCC, with younger but promising boxers.
Coaches Innocent Kapalata and three-time Olympian Charles Lubulwa also paved way for Vicky Byarugaba and Hussein Khalil, though later Lubulwa — part of that KCC team that last won the Open in 1989 — was later recalled.
Light fly Muhammad Kassim, flyweight Juma Miiro, bantamweight Nassir Bashir, light welter Musa Shadir and middleweight Reagan Ssimbwa, had once won titles with Naguru-based East Coast, and easily followed their childhood coach Khalil to KCCA.
Reportedly, a KCCA boxer earns between Shs400,000 to Shs500,000 monthly. Other factors constant, this is a good compensation considering the poverty at other clubs. And the investment has quickly has paid off with a historic trophy after 28 years of mediocrity. But KCCA still lacks a gym. Coach Byarugaba says the one in which they train from on Mabirizi Complex lacks vital boxing equipment like speed bags and reaction bags, even the air in busy Kampala is not that conducive for them. They should also consider signing more boxers for say, the youth team, for competitiveness and continuity.
Bombers’ prospects
Only Shadir, Ssimbwa (both KCCA), Yusuf Babu (Cobap) and Emmanuel Kyambadde (Lukanga) retained their 2016 titles. The rest were new champions. Cobap’s bantamweight Isaac Masembe, stunned 2014 Commonwealth quarterfinalist Nassir Bashir in the semis to become best elite boxer. Police’s Moses Kabuka win against Katwe’s Muhammad Lwanga was utterly controversial but no doubt both youngsters are a revelation after arguably the most sublime performances witnessed in years.
Ladies’ hope
Unlike previous tournaments, where ladies were declared champions without dropping sweat, the Open was serious business. The four ladies’ bouts produced some serious boxing. Swedish Sandra Attermo, Zawad Nangendo both of Kampala Boxing Club, Jalia Naali (Busia Nyagweso B.C) and Milly Nasuna (Cobap) stood out with gold. Although they are still below the standard for World Championship next year, they can get better.
Lack of equipment
Although boxers looked neat in Betway branded blue and red vests, the Emcee would frequently call on a boxer to return that ‘makende guard’ (read groin protector). Boxers still share these basics worn in sensitive areas, which might expose them to diseases. Sharing gloves is a norm that no longer makes news.
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