Uganda’s newly-crowned East and Central Africa super-middleweight champion Shadir Musa Bwogi yesterday left for Russia brimming with confidence ahead of Saturday’s IBA Champions Night card in the city of Serpukhov.
He’s accompanied by his coach Bule Nicolas.
Bwogi and South Africa’s former IBO and WBF champion Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni who fought America’s unified WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO lightweight champion Devin Haney in 2019, are the two boxers from Africa invited to feature in the International Boxing Association (IBA) nine-bout Champions Night card on Saturday, August 26, in Serpukhov, Russia, on the eve of IBA International Boxing Day.
The Ugandan southpaw (4-0-0, 2KOs) battles Uzbekistan’s Odiljon Aslonov (4-0-0, 2 KOs) at middleweight while the South African star boxer takes on WBA Continental super-lightweight champion Khariton Agrba at welterweight.The Russian won silver medal in the 2019 European Games and gold in the 2016 World University Games.
In an interview with AFBC Communications at Bole Airport in Addis Ababa on his way to Russia, Bwogi said he felt highly honoured to be invited in IBA Champions Night card to assemble the creme de la creme of boxers from various parts of the world.
“I feel great, I have been focusing a lot doing promotion and branding my name as you can see I’m wearing my clothing brand of BWOGI series and this is a good chance to showcase all what I have been working on.”
Commenting on his Uzbek opponent, Bwogi said: “He’s a tough boxer well experienced, it’s a good challenge for me to gauge myself with an opponent from outside Africa. I thank the IBA for giving me this opportunity.”
The main fight will pit celebrated heavyweights, Cuba’s five-time world champion and twice Olympic Games gold medallist Julio La Cruz and Russia’s two-time world champion Muslim Gadzhimagomedov.
