Ssekabembe: I fought al shabaab, I cannot lose to a civilian
Ssekabembe puts in the miles during a training session at Lugogo before the team travelled to Glasgow.
PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
Boxing. Mike Sekabembe produced an emphatic performance to beat Ghanaian opponent Haruna Osumanu in the men’s super-heavyweight quarter-finals. Sekabembe dominated the three rounds, even showing off a ‘double punch’. The exuberant Ugandan also found time to join in with the crowd and dance along to a Neil Diamond song between rounds two and three.
When Michael Ssekabembe returned to his locker room after defeating Haruna Osumanu of Ghana yesterday, he broke down.
His teammates were not bothered by his tears. They knew what making the Commonwealth Games semifinals meant to him since two of them have already been eliminated.
The victory ensured he will return home with a medal, at the very least bronze, even if he loses to Englishman Joyce Joseph in Friday’s semifinal.
Super heavyweight boxer Ssekabembe is now the second Ugandan to win a medal here after marathoner Abraham Kiplimo also got bronze in the marathon on Sunday.
“I was overcome by emotion,” Ssekabembe later told Daily Monitor. “Those were tears of joy. I still don’t believe I have made it to the medal brackets,” he remarked.
Ssekabembe, 36, charmed spectators at the Scotland Exhibition and Conference Center with clinical boxing.
Up against an equally experienced foe, the UPDF sergeant approached the fight without any fear. He attacked with precision and moved his body around in a fashion not so common among heavyweight boxers.
Going into the third round, he pulled off a celebratory dance. It was exciting as well as shocking. The crowd, including sports minister Charles Bakkabulindi, loved it. Bakkabulindi later rewarded Ssekabembe with $100. (about Shs260,000). His coaches nonetheless were not impressed; they throughout he was getting excited too early.
Winning over home fans
“By the end of the second round, I knew the fight was over. I knew I had won but I also wanted to get the local supporters on my side since there were very few Ugandans in the gym,” he confidently said.
Still, he entered the final round with furious punches and cornered the Ghanaian more than twice. In the last one minute, his soldier character came to the fore.
“I spent the whole of last year fighting al- shabaab in Somalia. I was involved in several battles. Why should I lose to a civilian,” he stated.
After his bout, he had a chance to watch his next opponent. The Englishman knocked out Scottish Ross Henderson in equally impressive fashion. That didn’t shake Ssekabembe a single bit. “I came here with an aim of winning gold. I am sure I will get it.”
Ssekabembe represented UPDF at the World Military Games in 2002, 2004 and 2010. On the three occasions he got eliminated at the quarterfinals.
However, Glasgow 2014 is his first real national team assignment despite his advanced age. “I know I might never get another opportunity like this. I want to make history in Glasgow,” he vowed.
Today, two other Bombers; Fazil Juma and Nasir Bashir have a chance to emulate Ssekabembe by punching into the medal bracket. Their assignment, however, looks a little bit tougher as they come up against Olympic boxers.
Bashir faces 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Michael Conlan of Northern Ireland while Juma squares of with Ghanaian Tetteh Suleman. The West African also competed at the London Olympics.
TODAY - BOXING
Nasir Bashir vs. Michael Conlan (N. Ireland) -3pm
Fazil Juma vs. Tetteh Sulemanu (Ghana) – 9pm
