🏆 The Golden Era
UGANDA REGAIN TROPHY IN 1967 BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH AS OUNDO IS ROBBED OF VICTORY
▪️Uganda narrowly defeated a resilient Kenya 33-31 on aggregate points to win back the Millington Drake Trophy after a three-year domination by the Kenyans
▪️The constant production of quality boxers by Kenya and Uganda ensured their intense rivalry remained alive every year
For three years running, Kenya dominated arch-rivals Uganda in the popular two-leg Millington Drake Trophy contest but on the night of December 9, 1967, Uganda regained the trophy narrowly on 33-31 aggregate points win in a gruelling duel fought before a packed house at the City Hall in Nairobi.
Like in the first leg in Kampala, Uganda edged Kenya by 6-5 bouts (16-15 points) to reclaim the trophy.
The see-saw battle between Kenya and Uganda was the highlight in the calendar of events for the two East African boxing giants then boasting some of the world’s best boxers as they demonstrated at the 1968 Mexico Olympics with Uganda winning a silver medal through bantamweight Eridadi Mukwanga and a bronze by flyweight Leo Rwabogo while Kenya’s technician Philip Waruinge won a bronze medal at featherweight.
Their keenly contested bouts were spiced with immaculate boxing from their well-drilled boxers displaying skill, passion and a thirst for superiority over one another. This intense rivalry contributed a great deal in raising the standards of the game, and in the process shaping up the boxers for the challenging overseas assignments. The constant production of quality boxers from the two countries ensured the rivalry remained alive every year.
Yet there was nothing much at stake other than national glory, individual prestige and superiority in the ring.
So, when the Kenyans arrived in Kampala for the first leg of the Millington Drake Trophy contest in June, 1967, Ugandans, as usual, expected a blistering showdown. And the Ugandan fans loved the Kenyan boxers for their warrior-like approach in the ring. In Kenya, the revered Ugandan boxers were held in high esteem. Whenever they landed in Nairobi, pre-fight tension and anxiety heightened among the boxers ahead of the eagerly awaited bouts.
The usual venues for the epic Kenya vs Uganda fights were Nakivubo and Lugogo Stadiums in Kampala and City Hall in Nairobi.
This time around, Lugogo was where the boxers would trade leather for the first leg of the 1967 Millington Drake Trophy contest.
Kenya suffered a severe blow when two key boxers, Philip Waruinge and John Olulu, pulled out from the team with Waruinge still nursing a wrist injury and Olulu was unavailable having just been recruited by the Kenya Army. Kenya also missed the services of regular heavyweight Chris Durrant.
“The ABA of Kenya hopes to see all the three boxers in action against the visiting Ghana and Uganda in the second leg in December,” said the ABA Secretary General Majory Frank Ryan who was wary of the stiff challenge from the Ugandan boxers.
Said Ryan:”The Ugandans have already gone into residential training, I expect them to give us a tough fight. They’re very serious this year aiming to take away the trophy.”
Uganda’s seriousness to topple the Kenyans was evident, elevating former prominent international in the 1950s Grace Seruwagi to be the head coach assisted by 1962 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kesi Odong. Seruwagi was then cruising on a whirlwind of success as coach at Kilembe Mines, his team winning the novices, intermediate and national championships.
The 1967 Millington Drake Trophy also saw the inauguration of the light-flyweight category. Uganda picked on talented Leo Rwabogo for the new berth and Kenya had Prisons Lawrence Kariuki.
Sammy Mbogwa, one of the top boxers from Nakuru ABC, replaced his elder brother Waruinge at featherweight, George Kanui came in for John Olulu in the light-welterweight class with pint-sized Stephen “Kimbo” Matiani moving up to heavyweight but coach Hassan Amiri was a worried man on whether Matiani would make weight.
Sadly, Matiani was almost four pounds underweight, giving the Ugandans a walkover at heavyweight and 6-5 bouts victory over Kenya.
Matiani fought in the light-heavyweight berth and lost to Henry Mugwanya. Disappointed fans were looking ahead to Matiani’s fight with the towering 1966 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Ben Ochan whom Matiani had floored in Nairobi in one of the Kenya vs Uganda matches before Ochan avenged the defeat in the quarter-finals of the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.
The highlight of the card was the furious exchange of fists in the welterweight bout between Eldoret-based Alex Oundo and Uganda’s 1962 Africa Championships silver medallist Powell Mabwa.
An estimated crowd of 2000-plus fans stood up roaring in this fiercely contested bout won on points by Mabwa who also bagged a bronze medal in the 1964 Africa Championships in Accra, Ghana. Chants of “mukube omusajja!” (beat the man) rent the air as overzealous Ugandan fans urged Mabwa to hit Oundo, a bronze medallist in the 1965 African Games.
The 1966 Commonwealth Games bantamweight bronze medallist John Nderu was the most impressive Kenyan winner, displaying his superior ring craftsmanship against a timid F.Ntwiremabo whom he stopped in 44 seconds of the third round after the Ugandan boxer made one trip to the canvas following Nderu’s strong body punches.
In the opening newly-introduced light-flyweight by the world’s governing boxing body – then known by its acronym AIBA – Uganda’s Leo Rwabogo outpointed Lawrence Kariuki with flyweight Peter Manene beating Eridadi Mukwanga and at featherweight Kenyan Sammy Mbogwa lost to Mohamed Muruli.
Lightweight David Jackson was beaten by Kenya’s 1966 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Steven Baraza who had one of the best jabs in the game. Uganda’s light-welterweight M.Badi lost to George Kanui with Kenya’s formidable upcoming light-middleweight Steve Thega beating L.Kayiira.
Uganda’s 1965 African Games middleweight silver medallist and bronze medal winner in the 1966 Commonwealth Games Mathias Ouma outpointed Kenya’s Patrick Wattengah whose long range missiles troubled Ouma but the Ugandan’s skillful boxing was a class above Wattengah. In the ensuing light-heavyweight bout, Henry Mugwanya defeated Stephen “Kimbo” Matiani.
The ABA of Kenyan President Marcel Brunner was not worried by Uganda’s victory.
“I expected this result but I’m confident we will win the return leg in Nairobi, we sacrificed two valuable points in the heavyweight division,” said Brunner.
With Uganda leading by one point, the Kenyans were all set for a bruising encounter in the second leg of the Millington Drake Trophy in December, 1967.
Kenya’s star boxers Philip Waruinge and John Olulu were back in the team to boost their hopes of turning the tables at home.
Kenya’s team: light-flyweight Lawrence Kariuki, flyweight Peter Manene, bantamweight Sammy Mbogwa, featherweight Philip Waruinge, lightweight Kamau Mbugua, light-welterweight John Olulu, welterweight Alex Oundo, light-middleweight Stephen Thega, Jonathan Sijenyi, light-heavyweight Stephen “Kimbo” Matiani and heavyweight Chris he Durrant. Baraza, still nursing a swollen finger, was replaced by Nakuru ABC product Kamau Mbugua.
Uganda’s team comprised light-flyweight Leo Rwabogo, flyweight John Rwangirana, bantamweight Youngston Odong, featherweight Mohamed Muruli, lightweight Gabriel Lashuba, light-welterweight Alex Odhiambo, welterweight Powell Mabwa, light-middleweight Andrew Kajjo, middleweight Mathias Ouma, light-heavyweight Henry Mugwanya and heavyweight Ben Ochan. The manager was Jack Edwards with Grace Seruwagi and Kesi Odong as the coaches.
A packed City Hall roared and screamed in this hotly contested match that was part of the Jamhuri Day celebrations. The two teams were tied at 5-5 bouts following Stephen Matiani’s victory over Henry Mugwanya at light -heavyweight, a sweet revenge for Matiani having lost to Mugwanya in the first leg in Kampala.
The writing was on the wall: Uganda was poised to dethrone Kenya since in the deciding heavyweight bout, Uganda’s Ben Ochan was a clear-cut favourite against underdog Chris Durrant. As expected, the Kenyan proved no match against the stronger and taller Ochan who stopped Durrant in the first round to the loud applause of the visitors. They regained the Millington Drake Trophy with a narrow 6-5 bouts win for an aggregate points victory of 33-31.
Biased officiating – so common in the Kenya vs Uganda matches – reared its ugly head again in the welterweight bout between Kenya’s Alex Oundo and Powell Mabwa, the controversial winner. Mabwa had an edge over Oundo in the first round but in the next two rounds, Oundo was on fire, driving back Mabwa with a barrage of two-fisted flurries that had the excited Kenyan fans in spontaneous cheers of approval.
Kenya’s coach and manager Hassan Amiri was a bitter man.
“Some decisions are difficult to appreciate, had it not been for the biased officiating I’m sure we would have won,” said Amiri.
Ugandan manager Jack Edwards disagreed with Amiri.
“The officiating by the judges and referees was excellent, we expected to win by a larger margin, I’m happy we’re taking the trophy from Kenya,” said Edwards.
Boxing brothers Philip Waruinge and Sammy Mbogwa were among the five Kenyan winners. Bantamweight Mbogwa comfortably beat Youngston Odongo while Waruinge, known for his ring artistry, made heavy weather in defeating Mohamed Murungi who resorted to holding the Kenyan boxer in a bid to annoy him and mess up his usual classic boxing.
“Muruli was holding me, employing dirty tricks to spoil my rhythm. He thought I would be annoyed but I maintained my calm,” Waruinge told me in one of the several interviews I had with after he had retired.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Alex Odhiambo had the better of John Olulu with light-middleweight Steve Thega, a product of Pumwani Boxing Club, maintaining his ascendancy by stopping Andrew Kajjo in the second round.
Full resultsKenya boxers named first)
Light-flyweight
Lawrence Kariuki again lost to Leo Rwabogo
Flyweight
Peter Manene outpointed John Rwangirana
Bantamweight
Sammy Mbogwa beat Youngston Odongo
Featherweight
Philip Waruinge defeated Mohamed Muruli
Lightweight
Kamau Mbugua lost to to Gabriel Lashuba
Light-welterweight
John Olulu lost to Alex Odhiambo
Welterweight
Alex Oundo lost to Powell Mabwa
Light-middleweight
Steve Thega stopped Andrew Kajjo in the second round
Middleweight
Jonathan Sijenyi lost to Mathias Ouma
Light-heavyweight
Stephen “Kimbo” Matiani beat Henry Mugwanya
Heavyweight
Chris Durrant was stopped by Ben Ochan in the first round
