Ssegawa returns to amateur with aplomb
KBC’s Ssegawa (R) hits the living daylights out of Kasule (L) of Special Forces during Day One of the National Open Boxing Championship at the MTN Arena in Lugogo. Sula’s power forced the referee to stop the bout in the first round. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
Boxing. The 24-year-old lightweight pugilist has enjoyed a stellar but short professional career during which he attained three knockouts out of six prize fights.
KAMPALA. Sensational lightweight Sula Ssegawa returned to amateur with devastating effect, knocking out Amurani Kasule in the first round on Day One of the National Open Boxing Championships at Lugogo Indoor Stadium.
Ssegawa, of Kampala Boxing Club, got off to business right away, hitting Kasule of Special Forces with swift, hard lefts and rights, amid deafening cheers from the crowds. His opponent aimed some shots but had little effect on a very alert Ssegawa, whose feints and lateral body movements kept him atop.
But it was Ssegawa’s numerous hard body shots that practically broke Kasule’s armoury down. Towards the end of round one, Kasule could neither offend nor defend. End of bout. “He was not a bad fighter, he could have given any other opponent hard time but I think he just couldn’t contain my onslaught,” Ssegawa, with sweat cascading down his athletic body, said.
Justifying his dramatic U-turn is a possibility of qualifying for Rio2016. “That Uganda hasn’t qualified any boxer to the Olympics, sinks my heart, hence my return ahead of the qualifiers in Cameroon,” Ssegawa explained.
Before turning professional in 2012 at the peak of administrative dogfights in amateur boxing, Ssegawa was one of the best boxers, with over 100 fights and just four losses. At the 2011 All-Africa Games in Maputo, he lost at the quarter finals. Ssegawa was unbeaten in six pro fights, with three knockouts.
UGANDA BOXING OPEN
Selected results
52kgs: Allan Sserwanga (Special Forces) bt. Hassan Katende (Motoyoshi)
• Geoffrey Kakeeto (UPDF) bt. Yasin Ssajjabi (Mutumba)
60kgs: Christopher Matovu (Police) bt. Gerald Aliga (Taks Gulu)
• Sula Ssegawa (KBC) bt. Amurani Kasule (Special Forces)
69kgs: Hamis Ssemakula (KBC) bt. Meddi Sajjabi (Cobap)
• David Ochan (Lukanga) bt.Ramathan Kule (Kololo High).
