Kickboxing has Golola to thank - Semata

It is difficult to talk about Ugandan kickboxing without mentioning Moses Golola. The motor-mouthed kickboxer’s previous performances against Hungarians Andras Nagy and Mate Zsamboki do not suggest he is a great fighter after he was brutally exposed in the ring but Golola’s role in promoting the sport cannot be ignored.

Umar Semata is one of the few Ugandans, who have openly appreciated Golola’s impact.
“I have to thank Golola for making this sport popular,” Semata, currently preparing for the World Muaythai title fight against Australian Rhys Karakriacos on June 1, told Sunday Monitor.

“Back in the day, we used to fight and no one seemed to care,” added the Thailand-based Ugandan. Golola had a brilliant start to his professional career, beating Sudanese Abdul Qadir Rahim in 2011 in a fight that attracted thousands of Ugandans.
Although his next two bouts ended in disastrous defeats, Golola remained a crowd puller.
Last month, he returned to the ring, this time in victorious fashion with a unanimous win over Hungarian Istavn Betyar.

And fans still turned up in big numbers to back him. “I salute him (Golola) for a job well done,” Semata remarked. Meanwhile, former Africa Super bantamweight champion Sande ‘Swico’ Kizito says he intends to make a ‘big statement’ when he fights Egyptian Atef Mohammed for the African Boxing Union title on the same night dubbed the Rwenzori Boxing Gala.

“I am in great shape. I’m going to put my heart and soul into this fight and come out victorious,” Kizito said after his morning training session at Kampala Boxing club (KBC) gym on Thursday. The gala, to be staged at Kyadondo grounds, is sponsored by Ennyanda Newspaper, Kfm, Dembe Fm (all subsidiaries of Monitor Publications), Rwenzori mineral water, Mountain Zion Hotel, Events Warehouse and Sms Empire.

SEMATA FACTFILE

Full name: Umar Semata
Born: May 5, 1988
Style: Muaythai
Ranking: 10th
Fights: 32
Won: 20
Loses: 10
Draws: 2

What is Muaythai?
Muaythai is a combat sport from the Muay martial arts of Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching technique. This physical and mental discipline which includes combat on foot is known as “the art of eight weapons” because it is characterized by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees, shins and feet, being associated with a good physical preparation that makes a full-contact fight very efficient.

THE RWENZORI GALA
June 1, Kyadondo Rugby Club
Tickets
Silver: 15,000/=
Gold: 35,000/=
Platinum: 80,000/=
WBCI light heavyweight title
Joseph Lubega (UGANDA)
vs. Hany Atiyo (EGYPT)
WORLD MUAYTHAI TITLE FIGHT
Umar Semata (UGANDA) vs.
Rhys Karakriacos (AUSTRALIA)
AFRICAN BOXING UNION FIGHT
Sande “Swico” Kizito vs.
Atef Mohammed (Egypt)