After knocking out fierce rival Juma Miiro in the preliminary elimination trial Fly weight bout on Wednesday at NCS in Lugogo, Moses Kabuka believes he has ‘less work’ left ahead of the National trials this Sunday at MTN Arena, Lugogo.
The exciting Southpaw boxer needed less than two minutes of second round to shockingly floor the 2018 Commonwealth Bronze medalist, who now has to sit out the mandatory 90 days of recovery, and thus out of contention for this year’s All Africa Games due August 19-31 in Rabat, Morocco.
Kabuka noted that Miiro was the only obstacle to his dreams of representing his country and he expects no shock this weekend during the elimination trials.
“I beat all opponents in my Fly weight and after flooring Juma Miiro, no one can stand in my way. I have been training hard and for Juma specifically and I am about to live my dream,” noted Kabuka, who missed last year’s Commonwealth games due to his under age.
“I had beaten Miiro last year but I was not making the mandatory age (19) and that is how I stayed and he went. If I was the one who went to Gold Coast in Australia, I would have brought Gold. That is why I had to beat him by KO to render him no chance again after all I now make the age. I saw him opening up with his jab and when he threw his right, I made a left turn and could not survive my left hook,” added the 19-year old, who expects to make the final Bombers team.
Kabuka, who is now concentrating on endurance and stamina as well as power, will face off with Katongole John Bosco, Busingye Champion and Lwanga Mohamed in the trials.
Uganda boxing federation (UBF) earlier summoned 60 Bombers mostly the semi finalists from the January National Open championship to start residential training ahead of the All Africa Games.
The number was reduced to 44 (29 boys and 15 Girls). “We are to have our national trials on Sunday and find out the best two boxers who will camp in different camps for three weeks before facing off to determine those to represent the nation. We are working tirelessly to see that we get a formidable team amidst the financial hardships we are facing,” noted UBF President Moses Muhangi.
“We have no financial support from government yet but other sport that even have no return on investment in terms of international success, are funded handsomely. It is shocking that we expect our boxers from such preparations to beat their opponents who have been in camp ever since the year started. Boxing is the golden sport to Uganda and I salute the Ugandan boxers because from the way we prepare our team, one would not expect the medals we bring back home from international engagements. Celebrating sports excellence should not start at welcoming medals, but at preparing those who bring them and that is how Ugandan sports will grow,” added Muhangi, a renowned NRM government strong mobiliser.
The NRM Chairman in charge of Eastern region Cpt Mike Mukula earlier this month promised the boxing fraternity to secure an appointment for UBF top Executive with the Head of State H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni which is yet to materialize. UBF is yet to get any financial boost from government despite repeated calls from the federation.
For the worst, the public national gym is not available to the Bombers team for training as it was hired by NCS to a private business person –who only allows the Bombers to use it at his mercy and wish.
The NCS national hostels in which the Bombers used to rest after the double session daily training were also hired out to a private business person who turned them into a restaurant whilst others hired out as private offices
