Pro boxers delighted to share receive Shs16m in WBC Covid-19 relief

Badru Lusambya spent three months of the lockdown battling pneumonia. There was even a scare that the three-time African Boxing Union champion had contracted the coronavirus. Thankfully, the boxing family bailed him out, clearing the hospital bills and catering for other necessities.
Lusambya just returned to his job as the welfare officer at Ham shopping grounds, recently, and said the Shs2.7m from the World Boxing Council Covid-19 Relief Fund is quite a relief.

“We are very grateful for this support because we’ve been undergoing terrible times…I was jobless during the lockdown then I battled pneumonia for three months but I thank whoever has supported me in whatever way,” said Lusambya, one of the six beneficiaries of the Relief Fund.
Joe ‘Vegas’ Lubega, who won the WBC International Light Heavyweight Title in 2012, hit hard times during the lockdown, especially when he was involved in a motor accident. 

“This is a sign that our federations care about us,” Lubega said in sheer delight.
A few years ago, WBC and the Nevada Community Foundation created the WBC Jose Sulaiman Boxers Fund to support retired professional boxers who were facing hard times, through applications.

But this year, the WBC, with support from Hublot Watches and Telmex-Telcel Foundation, among other partners, made an extension of the Fund by creating the WBC Covid-19 Relief Fund, of which six Ugandans have been beneficiaries.
“The role of this money is specifically to help you buy essential food items for your families,” said Maureen Mulangira, treasurer Uganda Professional Boxing Commission, while handing over the cash (Shs2.7m each) to the boxers.
Mulangira added that active and retired boxers are eligible for the fund but the Commission selected the particular six who contested for WBC and affiliate titles and have been in hard times.

The other beneficiaries are Michael Kizza, Francis ‘Macho’ Kiwanuka, Davis Lusimbo, and Joseph Kiwanuka.
Kizza won the ABU Super Feather Title when he defeated Macho by unanimous decision on July 7, 2002, at Nakivubo Stadium. On the same card, 1994 Olympian Davis Lusimbo won the ABU Super Light Title, beating Kenya’s George Owano by split decision.
Joseph Kiwanuka, aka The African Express, won the North American Boxing Federation Super Middle Title – which, like the ABU titles, is affiliated to the WBC – defeating Ecuadorian Segundo Mercado in Philadelphia November 8, 1996. He defended it twice before losing to American Thomas Tate on October 28, 1997.

Kiwanuka also spent months at Lubaga Hospital, suffering stroke-related illnesses.
Lusambya pleaded: “We hope even other organisations do as the WBC has done. President Museveni should as well bail us out, like has done others, because the sport we do promotes the country.”

The lucky six

Davis Lusimbo
Michael Kizza
Badru Lusambya
Joe ‘Vegas’ Lubega
Joseph Kiwanuka
Francis ‘Macho’ Kiwanuka