Tebazalwa tips Kiwanuka to win WBF world title

Big Time. UPBC officials displaying the WBF-Africa belt to Kiwanuka and his promoter Buchanan. PHOTO: A.N SSEMUGABI

Trainer Abdul Tebazalwa has tipped his boxer Shafik Kiwanuka to win the World Boxing Federation World Heavyweight Title in future, considering the good management he is under.

Managed by Great Strikers Promotions, in partnership with the International University of East Africa (IUEA), Kiwanuka, aka the Killing Machine, has only two fights as a professional (and has won both by knockout) but he is eyeing a continental fight next month.

Come November 29 the lanky but muscular boxer faces Zimbabwe’s Thamsanqa Dube for the World Boxing Federation All-Africa Heavyweight Title and Tebazalwa believes Kiwanuka winning the continental shall be just the beginning of several accomplishments in promising career.

Just a point
“I remember I fought for the WBF world title and lost by just a point, but my situation was different. Promoters just called me, a few days to the fight to tell me to start preparing…so winning could come by chance,” Tebazalwa said during the conference at IUEA where the belt was unveiled Wednesday.

“But the way I see Shafik, the way we prepare him [technically, morally and financially] and the support his team gives him, he will win the WBF world title.”

October 7, 2007, Tebazalwa lost his first pro fight to Mongolian Choi Tseveenpurev by split decision at the Tara Leisure Centre in Oldham, England, hence losing the WBF World Featherweight Title.

However, this was under the World Boxing Foundation, a sanctioning body—which broke away from the mainstream WBF—and whose world champions are less recognised.

But if all goes as announced, WBF president Howard Goldberg will be at the IUEA auditorium to witness Kiwanuka and Dube vying for continental honours.