Rating Bombers at Mandela Cup

Uganda’s hope for international boxing gold was on Sunday  hanging on the shoulders of Erina Namutebi, the only one among seven Bombers who reached the finals of the inaugural Mandela Africa Boxing Cup.

After five match days inside Durban’s International Convention Center, South Africa, we rate the team, whose manager Moses Muhangi, also Uganda Boxing Federation president, tipped to excel after “meticulous and comprehensive” preparations.

Erina Namutebi 6/10

Muzamir Kakande, at the 2017 African Championship in Brazzaville, Congo was the last Ugandan to win international gold, a record Namutebi to match.

Due to few entries in her category, the UPDF sergeant, like two female teammates, got a bye to the semifinals, where she defeated Zimbabwe’s Hildah Kaye by split decision Saturday evening, boosting her quest for gold and lion’s share of the $500,000 prize money.

Whether she defeated DR Congo’s Merveille Mbamba Mbalayi in the women’s light welterweight final yesterday—which was unlikely according to Uganda’s recent history—or she settled for silver as she did at the African Championships in Yaounde, Cameroon 2023, making the final puts her above the rest.

Ukasha Matovu 5/10

Matovu, probably Uganda’s biggest medal hope, scrappily defeated experienced Mauritian Jean Vadamootoo in the men’s welterweight Round of 16 on Wednesday. On Thursday, he stormed the medal bracket after defeating Zimbabwe’s Mpofu 5:0.  But on Saturday he lost the semifinal to DR Congo’s Ntumba after suffering an injury in Round One—the only Ugandan to win two bouts in Durban.

He was unlucky to settle for bronze, the same medal he won at the African Championships in Yaounde, Cameroon 2023.

Fatuma Nabikolo 5/10

After a bout review, Nabikolo got a split decision victory against Cwenga Qasana of South Africa, on Thursday. That was unique against an opponent fighting in her backyard.

In the women’s bantamweight semifinal, she tried and landed some clear shots against a seemingly superior Ayyad Abdalla of Egypt, but Nabikolo needed to double her scoring to avoid a 5:0 defeat. Bronze, on her international debut, is worth every kiss.

Kasim Murungi 3/10

 A federation favourite and the face of school boxing, Murungi has between July 2023 and now, been to three international events, while his featherweight rival Jonah Kyobe featured only once in 2022 and 2023.

On Wednesday he was lucky to defeat Tryagain Ndelevo of Namibia, who got a deep cut on the eye late in the third round. But against a familiar foe, Murungi lost to Armando Sigauque of Mozambique in the quarterfinals. This is the same opponent who defeated him in Yaounde 2023, and at the African Games semifinal in Accra, Ghana last month. Three consecutive losses vs the same man is chronic.

Emily Nakalema 2/10

Nakalema got a bye to the welterweight semis before losing to familiar foe Gomes Ivanusa of Cape Verde 5:0—for the third consecutive time. The Ugandan only won their first meeting at the 2020 African Olympic qualifier in Dakar, Senegal. Since, then Ivanusa has triumphed in Yaounde, 2023 and the Olympic qualifiers in Busto Arsizio, Italy in March 2024.  Nakalema, the most experienced female Bomber, should have done better in Durban.  

Sharua Ndagire 2/10

Last month Ndagire lost to Nigeria's eventual gold medallist Joy Nene at the African Games in Accra and was supposed to do better on her third international outing in eight months. But the Pretty Devil deceived by succumbing to Mozambique’s Ferna Macaringue in Round Three of the featherweight semifinal.

Wasswa Ssali 2/10

The man with most ring rounds, must be the most disappointed. After winning silver at the 2023 African Championships in Yaounde, his international debut, Ssali became a celebrity. A bye to the quarterfinals was another advantage. But Ssali lost to DR Congo’s  Boniface Zengala, losing 3:2, failing to enter the medal bracket.