Uhuru threatens to stop UBF boxing league
Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC) president Salim Uhuru has vowed to stop the Champions League organised by Uganda Boxing Federation under the pretext of semi-professional boxing
Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC) president Salim Uhuru has vowed to stop the Champions League organised by Uganda Boxing Federation under the pretext of semi-professional boxing.
In a letter to the Ministry of education and sports dated December 2, Uhuru explained that only UPBC can sanction professional boxing events in Uganda, which makes the Champions League, organised by Top Boy, a UBF agent, “unconstitutional.”
During a press conference at the Kampala central division offices, Uhuru emphasised that Top Boy is a promotion company licensed by UPBC, meaning it has no mandate to organise boxing events that are not sanctioned by UPBC.
“That event won’t happen tomorrow, when it’s not sanctioned by UPBC…watch this space,” he said.
On Tuesday, Probellum, a professional boxing promotion company based in Dubai, announced that it had signed a deal with (UBF).
The long-term partnership, endorsed by UBF President Moses Muhangi, according to a story posted on boxingnews.com, aims to “develop talented amateur fighters in Uganda and give them a platform to showcase their abilities on a global level.”
“Therefore, by authority vested in us…we hereby stop the event with immediate effect to save the image of Uganda Professional Boxing Commission and stop boxers’ exploitation,” concluded the letter copied in to the Minister Of Trade and Industry; National Council Of Sports; Uganda Olympic Committee; Commandant Kampala Metropolitan Police, UBF, among others. However, Muhangi posted a letter responding to Uhuru’s petition, to the sports minister, claiming that the Champions League is not a professional event, rather an amateur and semi-pro event. (But only boxers who signed contracts with UBF are eligible for the Champions League, yet the world over, only professionals sign contracts, with franchises or clubs, not national federations). The letter also “clarified” that Top Boy was hired by UBF as a sports promotion company to organise the tournament.
