Boxing: Uganda miss world rankings, Muhangi blames govt

Bombers' captain Joshua Tukamuhebwa in training. PHOTO/ISMAIL KEZAALA

What you need to know:

Uganda was once in the top five boxing countries in the world, winning several international honours but its curve has been falling in the last 40 years.


Saint Martin, an Island nation in the Caribbean, which by 2019 had only 73,777 people, ranks 89th in the latest world boxing rankings where Uganda, with over 42 million people, and once a boxing powerhouse, has no place.

Uganda was once in the top five boxing countries in the world, winning several international honours but its curve has been falling in the last 40 years.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) based its rankings on last year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics; three world championships—which Uganda missed—and two continental events.

Mozambique is the best-ranked African country with 5000 points in 38th place, on the log led by the USA with 34950 points. Algeria is 43rd with 4400 points followed by Kenya in 49th, with 3600 points.

Most of Mozambique’s points were garnered by female boxers Alcinda Panguane and Rady Gramane, who won silver and bronze respectively at the IBA Women’s world championships, in Istanbul in May.

Uganda last participated in the world championships in 2017 and has missed all four editions since Moses Muhangi became Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) president in January 2018.

Tanzania ranks 95th with 300 points. Even Somalia managed 200 points to rank joint-100th, with Egypt and Mali. Somalia fielded two boxers at the 2021 Aiba Men’s World Championships, in Belgrade, Serbia in October, which Uganda missed, two months after the 2020 Olympics. Kenya took a full team of 13 while Tanzania had three.

“These are some of the issues we have been raising about equity in funding but no one is listening and the impact is devastating. That explains why we don't have a ranking by IBA,” Muhangi wrote on a WhatsApp group.

“Even this November, we’ll miss the Youth World Championship in Spain, which could have earned points.”

It is, however, controversial that IBA considered the American Boxing Championships in March and the European Boxing Championships in May but ignored the African Championships in September.

That leaves out the seven boxers who participated in the continental event in Maputo, Mozambique, where two managed bronze medals. Without being ranked, the Bombers have missed the opportunities like the WBT Diamond Belt Series, which will happen every end-of-year.

TOP 5 AFRICAN COUNTRIES

38. Mozambique 5000

43. Algeria 4400

45. Kenya 3600

49. DR Congo 2700

60. Morocco 2400