What you need to know:

BOXING. Uganda has produced some very talented boxers over the years, including heavyweights, light heavyweights, cruiserweights, featherweights and flyweights. This squad which took Seychelles by storm enroute to winning the Federation of Eastern, Southern and Central Africa Amateur Boxing Association (Fescaba) Championship in 1989 comprises some of the best Ugandan boxers to ever live

This is the Uganda Bombers team that represented Uganda at the 1989 Fescaba tournament in Seychelles. Coached by Cuban Lazarus Jiménez, Uganda became the overall winners after all boxers, apart from Kazimir Omona, won medals.

David Agong: He was the team manager and at the same time, a referee/judge.

Patrick Lihanda: Featuring for the Naguru based Kampala City Council Boxing Club (KCC BC), Lihanda was a dreaded Middleweight. He won a silver medal at this tournament. In 1984, he represented Uganda in the Olympics in Los Angeles and lost a decision to eventual winner Joon-Sup Shin of South Korea.

He was also part of the team that played at the 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. This time, he was weighing at Light Heavyweight and lost to Nurmagomed Shavasov of the Soviet Union in the first round. Shavasov went on to win silver. Lihanda also boxed professionally in Germany in the later stages of his career. Currently sits on the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) technical committee. He also works as a fitness trainer at the Kay Club Wellness Center/Gym at Centenary Park.

Godfrey Wakabu: He was a featherweight fighter for Railway Boxing Club. He won bronze at the tournament. His only professional fight came in March 2002 when he defeated Paulo Wasaka by TKO in Kampala. Currently unemployed and resides in the Kisenyi slum.

Charles Lubulwa: Fighting at Lightweight, Lubulwa was the team captain. He was also in KCC BC and bagged a gold medal. In the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Russia, aged just 16, Lubulwa made his debut at the games but lost in the first round to Hungarian György Gedó.

He also boxed at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia, and reached the quarterfinals. His second appearance at the Olympics came in 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, USA. He was the last Ugandan to lose, falling to Nigerian Peter Konyegwachie in the quarterfinals. Konyegwachie went on to win silver. Lubulwa’s sweetest moment came in 1985 when he won Gold in the Inter-Cup Boxing Championships in Stuttgart, Germany and bronze in 1987.

At his third Olympics, in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea, he was the team captain. He lost to Nigerian Blessing Onoko. At the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand, Lubulwa was again the captain but he never stepped into the ring due to a bout of malaria. Nyakana and Justine Jjuuko won gold. Charles Matata and Abdu Kaddu Sabata bagged bronze.

Lubulwa would dust himself to win bronze at the 1991 Fescaba Games in Namibia. In the 1991 All Africa Games in Cairo, Egypt, Lubulwa lost in the quarterfinals. He is now the coach at his former club and sometimes he assists Dick Katende on the national team.

Elphance Mubiru: He was a super heavyweight. He won gold and is currently living in the US.

Godfrey Nyakana: He was boxing for KBC and fighting at Bantamweight. He won Gold. He was also selected by organizers and judges as the best boxer of the tournament. In 1990, alongside Juuko, Nyakana won gold in the Commonwealth Games in Auckland as a Lightweight. That same year, he launched a professional career where he won 31 fights (19 by KO), suffered four losses and drew once. Currently, he is the Kampala Central Division Chairman and National Resistance Movement (NRM) Chairperson for Kampala Central Division. On top of politics, he is a successful businessman.

Franco Wanyama: Known as “Thunderbird” in the boxing circles, Wanyama was also from KCC BC. He bagged a gold medal in this tournament, fighting at Light Middleweight.

Wanyama also boxed at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea at Middleweight and lost to eventual bronze medalist Chris Sande of Kenya. He made his professional debut in December 1989 against John Held of the Netherlands. The fight ended in a draw after six rounds. In 1990, Wanyama beat future world title holder Carl Thompson.

As a professional, he won the BeNeLux Heavyweight title, BeNeLux Cruiserweight title, Commonwealth Cruiserweight title, and World Boxing Federation (WBF) Cruiserweight title. Wanyama defeated notable fighters such as Thompson, Jimmy Thunder and Johnny Nelson. At one time, he was a sparring partner with heavyweights Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko. He currently alternates between England and Belgium.

Abdul Kaddu Sabata: The Light Heavyweight boxer from Army Boxing Club won bronze at this tournament and is currently settled in Virginia, USA.

Luke Okurubo (RIP): He was from Police Boxing Club. He won bronze, fighting at Middleweight. He passed away in late 1990s.

Lazarus Jimenez: A Cuban, he was brought in to replace Peter Grace Sseruwagi. Little is known about Jimenez’s whereabouts today.

Paul Bisaso (RIP): At the time, he was the Uganda Amateur Boxing Federation organizing secretary and a referee/judge.

Sande Kateregga: Fighting at Welterweight, he won silver and is currently based in London.
Moses Lumago (RIP): He was fighting at Light Flyweight and won a silver medal. He was a brother to John Munduga and his son Ivan ‘Kenshens’ Lumago is a boxer at Power Gym BC in Mbuya. He passed away in April 29, 2002.

Fred Muteweta: Lubulwa’s young brother. He was also a KCC BC pugilist fighting at Flyweight. At this tournament, Muteweta won gold. In 1988, Muteweta (17 years, 226 days) was Uganda’s youngest boxer at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.

His inexperience saw him lose to Wayne ‘Pocket Rocket’ McCullough of the Northern Ireland in the first round. In the 1990 World Cup in Mumbai, India, Muteweta again lost to McCullough, who went on to win bronze. He also boxed at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona at Bantamweight and again lost to McCullough.

He clinched gold in the 1991 All Africa Games in Cairo plus a bronze medal at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada. He made his professional debut in 1996, and retired after ten professional bouts, losing five and winning five. He went into coaching and at one time was part of Kassim Ouma’s team. He is currently based in the USA.

Emmanuel Nsubuga: Another Flyweight from KCC BC. He won gold at this tournament. Nsubuga was also part of Uganda’s team at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He is now based in the USA.

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