Sempewo is new national champ

KAMPALA.
Kidega Dragon’s title ambitions were dealt a heavy blow, and he shall have to wait a little longer to win a national title after losing the national super-lightwelter weight belt to Hamuza ‘The Templer’ Sempewo, in the wee hours of Sunday.

The latter might have failed to walk his knock-out talk but he just could not afford to lose this all-important bout. Sempewo, 11(6KOs)-3, had earlier promised to stop his opponent within the distance, as is his wont, saying, “I’m feeling like I have already won this fight, I don’t see him (Kidega) standing the distance with me for 10 rounds, I just cannot imagine it”, but it was Kidega who stuck to his blue-print, going all the way, albeit losing on judges’ decision.

Both boxers got off to a ferocious start but as Kidega switched his trademark cautious button, calculating his and the opponent’s moves like a chess player, Sempewo went even more aggressive—employing jabs, uppercuts, left and right hooks, in equal measure.

He was also shrewdly accompanying his blows with defensive elbows whenever he besieged the opponent, something that indeed weakened Kidega’s counter-offense.

Sempewo’s take-no-prisoners approach was just what the doctor ordered as Kidega, 9(6KOs) was no ordinary opponent. The Gulu Boxing Club coach was, as usual, superb at dodging the opponent’s blows, as he was at the jabbing job. Both fighters had their own moments of brilliance and it was Sempewo’s torrent of blows that put him in the judges’ good books, winning an end-to-end showdown by unanimous decision.

Though he strongly ruled it out that his lack of action since December, 2012, would take its toll on him, it was evident that if otherwise, Kidega could have put Sempewo to an even sterner test.

But it was the latter that looked fitter and hungrier. Kidega’s blue-corner seconder Patrick Atuhairwe, who, according to sources, has no single win to his name, would not help matters either.

Thrilling undercards
It is unusual for boxing fans giving money to best performers, as is the case on music concerts, but it was the impressive displays of Ali Kasango and Frank Kiwalabye that took the fans’ fancy and won the fighters cash hand-outs.

Among the undercard bouts in the event organised by Nara Promotions, the unknown quantity that is Kasango stunned the crowd-favourite Mubarak ‘General Sensor’ Seguya in what was the most action-packed encounter. Both pugs traded fierce blows, sounding like bullets, but it was Kasango’s jabbing superiority that endangered Seguya the most.

For the entire eight-round brawl, Seguya, 3(3KOs)-0,had one option left—knocking his opponent out, but Kasango was out for business, winning by split decision.

In much the same way, Kiwalabye, known as ‘Black Fire’ flooded UPDF’s Wilberforce Ssuuna with blows from all angles, right from the onset. Ssuuna had little time to recompose himself and was technically knocked out in the sixth round, in what was meant to be a national featherweight title.

Nicholas Bbule, whose entourage was led by rapper Navio, won the Heavyweight contest after the Robert Kalema, allegedly in his maiden appearance in the ring, threw in the towel midway, after round-three.