Dancing Master caps 2022 with victory over Tanzanian Hamisi

Latibu Muwonge faced the toughest opponent in his professional career in what became arguably his best fight, when he overcame the stubborn and athletic Tanzanian Ally Hamisi.

Hamisi, who came with a professional experience of 12 fights, of which five are wins, five losses and two draws, made his intentions clear, going toe-to-toe with Muwonge from the first bell.

Nicknamed the Dancing Master, Muwonge had little time to deploy his trademark hit-dance-move style, as Hamisi was always either attacking him, countering him or dodging his attacks.

During his final training session at Kampala Boxing Club on Thursday, Muwonge had vowed to stop Hamisi in the third round, but he did not knock him down even once. Instead, it was the Tanzanian’s two big left hands and uppercuts that threatened to drop Muwonge in the fifth round.

The host quickly countered with his right, to survive the scare.

Muwonge would pay back with a thunderous right to the jaw that staggered Hamisi in the eighth round, but the Tanzanian ended the round with two left hooks and two uppercuts.

Muwonge will also be credited for enduring a deep cut above his left eye, sustained in the seventh round, allegedly due to Hamisi’s headbut.

“He was awkward,” Muwonge said of Hamisi. But the better word is: aggressive. A pressure fighter, who won over sections of the fans at the New Obligato in the baby hours of Sunday.

“It seems he has been watching my fights and studying my style,” said the boxer under the Great Strikers Promotions.

Nevertheless, Muwonge did enough to win the super lightweight battle 77-75; 78-74 and 78-73 on the judges’ scorecards.

The Tanzanian corner signalled discontent. But the unanimous feeling was that Hamisi put up a good show.

Muwonge has now improved his record to 5-0-0, since his debut in March 2019, with all the last four wins happening in 2022, which he partly attributed to improved funding from State House.

“My focus is on my next fight, probably in Denmark against a man from Poland. We shall be giving you the details as soon as they come.”

SELECT RESULTS ON GREAT STRIKERS CARD

Latibu Muwonge def. Ally Hamisi

Fahad Mayombo TKO. Tonny Ssendijja (3RD)

Jjunju Power KO. Dennis Lutalo (6RD)

Ivan Magumba KO. Vincent Makunso (2RD)

Hamid Daku def. Pius Lukwago

Justin Okello def. Joseph Okello

Joseph Katabi def. Remmy Yiga