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Uganda Boxing Champions League season three (3)Â boxed off in style at the NCS Arena in Lugogo on Saturday afternoon.
This third edition opener was graced by the Uganda Boxing Federation President Moses Muhangi, Uganda Olympic committee President Donald Rukare, Next Media CEO Joe Kigozi and Musician Navio.
L-R: Navio, JK Kazoora, Moses Muhangi and Joe Kigozi.
Entertainment came in from Nyonyi Cultural Troupe, musician Vyper Ranking and comedians duo Madrat and Chiko not forgetting Maulana and Reign plus Kalela who got the crowd laughing to bits.
Musician Vyper Ranking.
With lots of bouts on the menu for a day, 90% of many caught the eye of the revealers who were fans and some who had come for the first time with the Arena full as usual on a Boxing night.
The headline fight was one to watch on the day when 2022 Intermediate Champion and 2023 Champions League finalist Broline Kimbugwe ‘Stylist’ from COBAP Boxing Club took on National Open Champion Nerrick Tumusiime ‘Bulabe’ of Kololo High Boxing Club.
With the same intesity in the boxing ring, Nerrick who looked to be a more raw boxer throughout the hardest of punches, Broline was more composed on the day than he has ever been on the day.
Despite both boxers looking they didn’t come to guard themselves it was always going to be hard to judge who would win in the opening two rounds.
In the third round when Broline looked like he was hit most is when he recovered well towards the end of the round.
However after a restart to the fourth round, Nerrick started off well coming hard on the counters just like in the fifth to try to go for a knockout, something he didn’t manage against a resilient Broline who was playing with atmost experience.
At the end of it all, Nerrick Tumusiime “BULABE” won the fight 5-0 on unanimous decision from the judges.
Prior to the main fight an East Coast duo of Bomber Mulungi Kassim and Mudenya Trevor were eachother’s opponents in a 57kgs Featherweight Contest.
Mulungi who was on the front foot throughout the 5 round fight hence winning it on 5-0 unanimous decision by the judges.
In the Ladies Light weight Elite 60kgs, Naava Gertrude was so good at close range but her opponent on the day Nandawula was better throwing punches from a distance.
Zaharah battling with Gertrude
This dragged on the fight in a close contest for four rounds where you couldn’t pick a winner but could see an effort from both corners to win.
However in the 5th and final round, it looked like Naava was exhausted that gave Red Corner’s Zaharah Nandawula a win with a split 4-1 win.
After the two ladies there came an entertaining 57kgs Feather weight where Lukanga’s Kiggundu Leon battled it out with Mbazira Eliphaz of Nakawa boxing Club in the box Off Category.
Mbazira Eliphaz taking on Kiggundu Leon.
With heavy punches from both sides, it looked Kiggundu was using more of energy than his opponent but Mbazira managed to edge it while punching smart, putting him to the ground in the 5th round.
For the other bout in the same category and weight, James Japyem from the UPDF camp won his fight 2-1 against Babiro Shafick.
Let’s note that those playing in the box off Category play only three rounds.
Other fights on the day, a Bantam 54Kgs contest was stopped by the Referee in Round two after Lubega Hakim failed to complete the fight after an awkward fall due to a Brian Nkuruziza unexpected punch.
This meant that the Kololo Boxing Club based boxer Nkuruziza won thé fight.
Another fight between Nsubuga Samuel of Kalinabiri and Byambara Duncan of Subena BC was stopped by the Referee in Round One after Duncan was hit hard that he couldn’t continue.
This also meant that Nsubuga won the fight with a Referee stopped contest.
In the Featherweight 57 kgs Elite Women, Kugonza Joyce from UPDF beat BII FIT’s Nabbumba Shamim.
Kyengera’s Kimera Eddy too defeated Kazungu Frank of Brawn BC by a 5-0 unanimous decision in the Elite Light Welter 63.5 kgs.
In the Middle weight 75 kgs, Ojok Alfred (BRAWN) humbled Mukuye Harold of UPDF with a 5-2 reviewed decision from the judges.
Ojok Alfred throwing an uppercut to Mukuye Harold.
Rising star Kabito Sadat from Lukanga brewed confidence in the Fly 51 kgs but was later on drowned into a loss by Brawn’s Matovu Livingstone.
Next fight day of this Season will be boxed out on Saturday 29th June 2024 at the NCS Lugogo Indoor Arena.
