Head coach Lawrence Kalyango adds smooth operator bantamweight Ochien Samuel of Kampala Capital City Authority
A fierce battle is in the offing between perennial rivals Kenya and Uganda in the Africa Zone 3 Championships from October 16-24 at Kasarani Gym.
The Ugandans are now on their way to travelling by road and are expected to arrive on Wednesday morning at 7am, October 15.
Head coach Lawrence Kalyango is breathing fire sounding a warning to rivals Kenya: “We’re coming to beat you at home, I have a young team of very skillful boxers,” roared Kalyango already charged up for the eight-day competition.
“We’re travelling by BusCar company so we will be at their offices in the morning, the organising committee officials can check on us there,” Kalyango told boxersworld.co.ke in an interview.
Uganda will be represented by 16 boxers – 11 men and five women – in the Zone 3 Championships which starts on Thursday, October 16, with the opening ceremony. Action starts the following. War is war!!!
Kalyango has added bantamweight 24-year-old Ochien Samuel of Kampala Capital City Authority. He started boxing in 2020 in Kitintale under coach Sulaiman aka Bantam..
Ochien will be one of the 12 boxers making their international debut for the national team including fast rising female flyweight Angel Katushabe and vicious body puncher middleweight Alfred Ajok.
“I’m coming to break the ribs of the Kenyan African Games champion Edwin Owuor,” declared Ajok.
The four internationals in the team are featherweight Kasim Murungi who’s a bronze medallist at the Accra African Games, Africa Military Games gold medallist and silver medal winner in Mandela Cup and Africa Championships Erina Namutebi, Africa bronze medallist in Yaounde 2023 Emily Nakalema and sensational featherweight Fatuma “The Thunder” Nabikolo who won a bronze medal in her debut appearance for the Bombers in the 2024 Mandela Cup in Durban, South Africa.
In addition to the head of coach Lawrence Kalyango, there’s assistant coach and former international Abdu Tebazalwa.
Uganga’s 16 boxers for Africa Zone 3 Championships:
Women
Light-flyweight: Brenda Muduwa
Flyweight: Angel Katushabe
Featherweight: Fatuma Nabikolo
Light-welterweight: Erina Namutebi
Welterweight: Emily Nakalema
Men
Minimumweight: Ahmed Kazibwe Kato
Flyweight: Livingstone Matovu
Bantamweight: Ochien Samuel
Featherweight: Kassim Murungi
Lightweight: Jimmy Adriko
Light-welterweight: Farahat Maninora
Welterweight: Edward Mukwaya
Light-middleweight: Alex Kanabi
Middleweight: Alfred Ajok
Heavyweight: Ringo Aziz
Super-heavyweight: Emmanuel Tabula
