Adyaka hangs gloves with sheer regret
Adyaka (L), like his moniker - The Hunter, goes on the prowl against an American opponent in one of the few pro fights he won.
BOSTON- “Boxing is a good sport and good business when you have a good team and good partners at your back. But if you don’t have any, then you’re wasting your time and your life for nothing,” Philip Adyaka wrote on his Facebook page.
“I have determined that it is the right time for me to step aside.”
Adyaka, one of the five Bombers that represented Uganda at the 2007 Aiba World Boxing Championship in Chicago, retired recently, ending a fruitless professional career.
Aged 12 years and still in Mbale, Eastern Uganda, Adyaka started boxing, with two ambitions: As an amateur, he wanted to represent Uganda at the Olympics.
As a professional, he wanted to become a world champion. After a first-round TKO loss to 21-year old American Victor Morales Jr, on March 2, Adyaka, 36, hang up his gloves with none of these dreams achieved.
For his failures as an amateur, Adyaka blames himself. But for his professional omni-shambles, questions abound: What went wrong? Why didn’t his dreams come to fruition? Who is to blame?
“My professional boxing career was a mess because of poor management. My dreams and ambitions were failed by my manager. But, I thank God that I’m able to retire with no injuries,” Adyaka said.
Adyaka specifically accuses his management for inexcusable mistakes made during match-making. He didn’t hold back during this interview.
“I thank my manager because he opened my eyes. But he never cared about my career. I think all that mattered to him was me fighting regardless of a win or loss.
“He never wanted to build my fighting record. He wouldn’t mind what type of opponent I would face. I lost my first three fights as a result of poor selection of opponents. This affected me because that record of three straight defeats portrayed me as a poor boxer,” said Adyaka.
The might-have-been
Adyaka’s dream of becoming a world champion [in the bantamweight division] was inspired by fellow Ugandan Kassim ‘The Dream’ Ouma, who defeated American Verno Phillips to clinch the IBF World Super Welterweight Title, three years before Adyaka and Co. vanished from the Bombers’ camp in Chicago.
And who knows, if he had signed with fellow teammate Sharif Bogere’s manager Jimmy Alex, he would have had better fortunes.
He conceded: “If I had signed with Alex, I would have achieved a lot more in boxing and my record would be looking great like Bogere’s.”
Bogere speaks fondly of Alex, the man who waited for him in Las Vegas, when he travelled by bus from Chicago, in 2007, took him to the legendary Top Rank Gym, got him three world class trainers, brokered his signature with two more coveted promotion companies, defended him all the way, and so forth.
Adyaka’s retirement now leaves only two boxers active: Bogere and Adyaka’s fellow Minnesotan Ismail Muwendo from that famous Bombers squad of 2007 that scattered in Chicago.
Wrong decisions
At the World Championship, Muwendo and Eddie Akora won a fight apiece before bowing out of this Olympic qualifier. Andrew Nyakana lost instantly, but Adyaka and Bogere did not fight at all.
“My biggest regret to this day is running away from the camp. I had a great opportunity of making it through my category because we were just a few boxers in my weight. Win or loss, I would be in Olympics which was one of my dreams. But I got excited when Harvey Loven contacted me,” Adyaka recalls. “I couldn’t turn him (Loven) down especially after knowing that he had connections with Don King.”
After signing a contract with his manager Loven, Adyaka had his professional bout on January 23, 2008 against fellow debutant Ricardo Hernandez in Deauville Beach Resort, Miami Beach.
His introduction to the paid ranks was hostile as he lost his first three fights [moreover against ‘anonymous’ opponents] and his end has not been any different since he lost six fights straight before retirement. In his 11 years as a pro, Adyaka lost 14 of his 21 fights, won only seven. Not even a thousand miles close to his dreams. The Hunter, as is his moniker, retired empty handed.
The consolation
Adyaka, who also served as a UPDF soldier based at Bombo barracks quarter guard as a recruitment officer, represented UPDF, Lukanga and KCC at local and international tournaments.
But he was more productive at UPDF, where he won five gold medals, three at the East African Military Games, one at the Africa Boxing Championship in South Africa and another gold at the World Military Championship in South Africa, 2004.
Adyaka, now a US Citizen, says he remained in the USA for just one reason: to become a professional boxer but along the way, he got another reason to stay.
He is married to his beloved wife Christina Thone. The couple resides happily in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA with their two children.
Adyaka is out of the sport that brought him fame, having retired from boxing after 11 years of dedicated service.
But when it comes to post-boxing opportunities - being a manager, promoter or even a coach - his established image and amiable nature already have him ahead of the game.
He is working with former soldiers, Afande David Kibirango and Afande Yusuf Kityo in Uganda to start up a boxing promotion company that will scout, manage and build records for upcoming boxers with hopes of becoming world champions thus avoiding the errors that shattered Adyaka’s dreams.
ADYAKA AT A GLANCE
Full Names: Philip Adyaka
Nickname: The Hunter
Born: December 15, 1982
Age: 36
Nationality:USA
Birthplace: Kampala, Uganda
Hometown: Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Debut: January 23, 2008
Division: Bantamweight
Stance: Orthodox
Residence: Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Birthplace:Kampala, Uganda
RATING
World: 926 / 944
USA: 51 / 52
Bouts: 21
Rounds: 73
KOs: 19%
