Lusambya gets second chance in Sebyala rematch

Punisher. Sebyala (L) punches Badru Lusambya during their professional fight the former won by knockout in the seventh round at Aponye Hotel. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA

Badru ‘Mr Crush’ Lusambya might get a chance to reassure his fans that he is not out yet, after that humiliating defeat, while his tormentor Muhamad Sebyala awaits the same moment to assure his that retiring the four-time African champ was not just a one-off.
The two are likely to face off again next year to completely settle those scores after Sebyala surprisingly tortured and knocked out Lusambya in the seventh round Thursday morning.
With just 18 wins, 11 losses and 1 draw, Sebyala was easily the underdog. But the man fervently nicknamed Kabona, left La’ponye Hotel parking lot a more respectable fighter, after battering Lusambya, once Uganda’s most talented and most promising boxer, in one of the most-anticipated matchups in Ugandan boxing.
And he has no problem doing it again. “The man [Lusambya] is in hospital right now, do you want me to just kill him?” Sebyala asked jokingly on phone yesterday.
But seriously, “I’m open to a rematch any day be it today. We gave him 90 days to recover (from that KO) and we are back training waiting for him.”
Eddie Gombya, of Step by Step Promotions, which organized the Ekibbiitu ky’enguumi (boxing fete) on Boxing Day, confirmed that Lusambya will have a tune-up fight in April, to prepare for the Sebyala rematch.
“I told you I would punish Lusambya for disrespecting me. He said he would be just sparring against me…now tell me who was sparring?”
That morning, Sebyala got everything right. Lusambya got everything wrong. He fought like a possessed man. Full of energy and fitness. When he felt in control, he smiled. When he felt the urge to hurt more, he attacked, with a roar audible enough those on the ringside could hear. He enjoyed himself.
His body oozed beads of sweat as if he was training at KBC gym.
Just after his first defeat in Uganda, Lusambya said he is open to face Sebyala again for bigger titles, to right his wrongs.
“I just don’t know but this has never happened to me,” he told the shocked crowds on Thusrday morning. “My hands and legs failed, everything but I’m ready to fight him [Sebyala] again on bigger titles.”
Gombya evoked the Lennox-Rahman double duel, in which USA’a Hasim Rahman in April 2001 knocked out UK’s Lennox Lewsi in the fifth round to sweep the IBF, IBO and WBC heavyweight titles.
But seven months later Lewis, aged 36, revenged with a fourth round KO to reclaim all his titles against 29-year old Rahman. “Lusambya can do it as well,’ Gombya believes.