▪️Million dollar dreams of Uganda’s boxing queen Fatuma Nabikolo and Rwanda’s fast-rising Pacific Niyonzima begin on Sunday
July 4, 2026
Uganda’s African Zone 3 gold medalist Fatuma “The Thunder” Nabikolo and Rwanda’s national champion Pacific Niyonzima aka Mr Skyoff will make their long awaited professional debuts on Sunday, July 5, 2026, at the Petit Stade Gymnasium in Kigali, Rwanda.
The two talented boxers will add more spice and colour to the third edition of the Liberation Day Boxing show organized by BodyMax Promotions in collaboration with the Rwanda Boxing Federation. It brings together rising professional and elite amateur punchers from six East African countries: Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, and the DR Congo.
Fatuma, the future of Ugandan women’s boxing, steps into the pro ranks with an impressive amateur resume. Fighting out of Kampala’s Kololo Boxing Club, Nabikolo captured the spotlight by winning a dominant 5-0 unanimous gold medal in the 57kg featherweight category at the 2025 Africa Zone 3 Boxing Championships in Nairobi by smartly outpointing DR Congo’s Phoba Kerene.
Known for her magnetic personality and flawless technical ring artistry rather than raw brawling, Nabikolo has overcome heavy hurdles, including a heartbreaking administrative lockout at the Islamic Solidarity Games over late gender certification mandates. Untamed by the setback, she refined her skill in the Uganda Boxing Champions League. Now, she moves up slightly to the lightweight division for a scheduled 6-round professional debut against Celine Konyi from DR Congo intent on dominating the continent’s paid ranks.
“I want to be the African champion first and then aim for world title, I’ll do it. The DRC boxer is just a stepping stone towards my ambitions she can’t match me,” a confident Nabikolo told boxersworld.co.ke from Kigali.
For the local Rwandan crowd at Petit Stade, all eyes will be fixed on the national team captain, Pacific Niyonzima who is a household name in Kigali sports after capturing the 63.5 kg light-welterweight crown at the 2026 Rwanda Boxing Championship in May, following a three-round absolute war against Murenzi Hassan.
Standing at 1.75 meters, Niyonzima is an unpredictable boxer who seamlessly switches between orthodox and southpaw stances. Having recently transferred to BodyMax Boxing Club and sharpened his skills at the 2025 IBA World Boxing Championships, Niyonzima battles Tanzania’s Andrea Antoni in a 63.5 kg thriller. At the World Championships in Dubai, Niyonzima made history becoming the first ever Rwandan boxer to win a fight in the global event by decisioning Zimbabwe’s Nyongoloza Ntandoyenkosi in Rwanda’s debut in the World Championships.
Nabikolo and Niyonzima are capitalizing on the current IBA liberalisation that allows amateur boxers to turn professional while maintaining their amateur competitive status.
Managed by BodyMax CEO Emma Karim, who also serves as the vice president of the Rwanda Boxing Federation, these debuts mark a major shift for East African pugilists.
With the liberalized rules set by the International Boxing Association (IBA) allowing amateurs to crossover into professional circuits, boxers can significantly boost their earning power and ring experience without forfeiting their amateur careers.
Emma Karim’s promotional efforts at BodyMax aim to leverage this regulatory shift. By hosting professional fight cards in the heart of Kigali, her stable provides local and regional talents the chance to build lucrative professional records.
Emma is definitely a breath of fresh air in this new era for East African boxing. She aims to expose amateur boxers to pro boxing to increase their earnings as well as representing their national teams.
“I want to empower our amateur boxers financially and also build their stamina and ring time by fighting in more than three rounds,” the charming Emma told boxersworld.co.ke in an interview.
Her astute managerial acumen is an added advantage, giving more assurance to Nabikolo and Niyonzima they are in safe hands.
With Nabikolo’s crisp Ugandan boxing rhythm and Niyonzima’s explosive, adaptable combinations, July 5 represents more than just a celebratory fight night—it signals the arrival of East Africa’s next generation of prize-fighting youngsters.
The 10-bout card will be headlined by a six-round welterweight fight between Rwanda’s Kazungu Frank and Tanzania’s Amon Tobias. All fights will be six rounders.
Under the vibrant leadership of Rwanda Boxing Federation President, Bashir Ntwari, who controls both amateur and pro boxing, the federation has achieved remarkable progress in a very short span, and who knows, Rwanda could in future be the Las Vegas of East Africa’s pro boxing.
