The new WBO Asia Pacific welterweight champion David Ssemujju of Uganda proudly displays his two belts after stopping Japan's Kosei Nogami in the 8th round in Tokyo
The Ugandan boxer put up a dominant show to stop Kosei Nogami in the 8th round.
Uganda’s David “Tank” Ssemujju is the new WBO Asia Pacific welterweight champion.
The 32-year-old Ssemujju stopped Japan’s Kosei Nogami in the 8th of a scheduled 10-round fight to capture not only the WBO Asia Pacific welterweight title but retained his Japanese title at the packed Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, August 21, 2025.
Ssemujju controlled the fight from the first round subjecting his southpaw opponent to a couple of heavy head shots.
Amid chants of Ssemujju! Ssemujju! from flag-waving Ugandan fans, Ssemujju stepped up pressure in the 8th round pounding Nogami with non-stop left and right head flurries that forced the referee to wave it off to save Nogami from receiving further unnecessary punishment and embarrassment before his fans in Tokyo.
Ssemujju has has now won nine fights five of them on KOs and lost once to Uzbekistan’s Kamronbek Eshmatov.
Nogami, whose unbeaten four-fight streak was stopped by Ssemujju, dropped to 4-1-0 with two KOs.
Inspired youngsters enjoy the unprecedented generosity of the BFK supremo who believes in healthy eating as a crucial component in a boxer’s success
Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) President Anthony “Jamal” Otieno treated over 100 boxers to a delicious lunch at the Chel-C Hotel in Uhuru Park, Nairobi.
The boxers drawn from counties and clubs are in Nairobi for the National Junior and Youth Championships at the Green Park Hall.
They enjoyed a variety of dishes served at the popular restaurant in Nairobi known for its mouth-watering coconut fish, pilau, white and brown ugali and nyama choma among other delicacies.
A total of 178 boxers – 38 girls and 140 boys – are taking part in the four-day event ending with the finals on Saturday, August 23.
The boxers are drawn from counties and clubs as shown below:
Kampala City team members celebrate their victory watched by Kenya's national team head coach Musa Benjamin
The Ugandans won the two-day InterCity Boxing Championships followed by hosts Kisumu and Nakuru ABC
African Games featherweight bronze medallist Kassim Murungi led Kampala to overall victory in the just concluded InterCity Boxing Tournament at the Mama Grace Onyango Social Centre in Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya.
Murungi, who won featherweight bronze at the African Games in Accra in 2024, outpointed Kisumu’s Frank Omondi in the 57kg division.
The two-day InterCity tournament featuring host Kisumu, Nakuru and guest Kampala was a joint effort between Boxing Federation of Kenya, Kisumu County Boxing Association and sponsors Kakwacha Restaurant.
Kampala City emerged winners with 34 points followed by Kisumu 27 points while Nakuru ABC collected 10 points.
Kisumu’s minimumweight Silas Onyango and Kampala’s Nandaula Zahara emerged best male and female boxers of the tournament respectively.
Finals results LADIES
(R)Nakauza Rashinda KAMPALA 3
(B)Mudua Brenda KAMPALA 0
(R) Ken Otieno KISUMU ABD
(B) Kasujja Richard KAMPALA
Cruiserweight
(R) Charles Akendo KISUMU KO
(B) Kibirage Arafat KAMPALA
Super-heavyweight
(R) Douglas Sagali KISUMU 2
(B) Nsereko Samuel KAMPALA 1
From Kisumu, boxing action shifts to Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi for the Junior and Youth Championships from August 26-30 at Green Park Terminus Hall, Uhuru Park. The tournament will be organised by the Nairobi County Boxing Association.
#NdondiMashinani
Zambia's African Games lightweight silver medallist Andrew Chilata (right) will do battle with some of the top African boxers in the Nairobi Zone 3 bonanza
▪ The entry of the refined Zambian boxers adds more fire to this eagerly awaited boxing bonanza in Nairobi ▪ AFBC Zone 3 Championships is now an open event for the rest of the African countries willing to participate, says SG Lukelo Willilo
One of Africa’s top boxing nations, Zambia, have officially been allowed to take part in the AFBC Zone 3 Boxing Championships scheduled for October 15-25 in Nairobi, the world’s only capital city with a national park on its doorstep.
The Secretary-General of AFBC Zone 3, Lukelo Willilo, said they have accepted Zambia’s request to participate in the Nairobi boxing extravaganza despite the fact that the Southern African country is in Zone 4 of the Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC).
Zambia’s top boxer, reigning African Games champion and Paris Olympics flyweight quarter-finalist Patrick “Baddo” Chinyemba will lead the Southern African country in the AFBC Zone 3 Championships in Nairobi
“We have made our Zone 3 Championships an open event for other African countries in different zones to participate, this will make it more competitive as we look forward to the Africa Elite Men’s and Women’s Championships,” said Willilo who is also the President of the Tanzania Boxing Federation (TBF).
The entry of the refined and tough Zambian boxers definitely adds more fire to the highly anticipated AFBC Zone 3 Championships.
Zambia placed fifth overall at the 2023 African Games in Accra, Ghana last year, with two gold medals by legendary Paris Olympic Games quarter-finalist Patrick Chinyemba in the flyweight division and welterweight Gerald Kabinda, three silvers from bantamweight Mwengo Mwale, lightweight Andrew Chilata and light-welterweight Emmanuel Katema while featherweight Albert Ngulube and female minimumweight Margret Tembo settled for bronze medals. In addition to Tembo, among other formidable female boxers expected to be included in the Zambia team for the Nairobi event are 2022 Maputo Africa lightweight champion Felistus Nkandu and bronze medallist Juliana Kasonka.
The Zambians will be handled by arguably their most successful coach Wisdom Mudenda, a former international whose father, Vincent Mudenda, was also a coach in charge of the famous Green Buffaloes stable.
Zambia Boxing Federation Secretary-General Bornwell Gift Banda welcomed the decision by Zone 3 bigwigs to include them in the competition, and said they will be represented by 16 boxers.
“We will now conduct our trials first to come up with the team for the Zone 3 Championships, we thank the organisers for including us,” said Banda.
Nairobi we’re coming. From left Chinyemba, Margret Tembo, Felistus Nkandu and Stephen Zimba
Zambian boxers have previously been regular visitors to Nairobi especially during the December Jamhuri Day celebration matches against Kenya. Among some of Zambia’s past most famous and successful boxers include Commonwealth and ABU champion for six years Lottie Mwale, 1991 African Games lightweight champion Felix Bwalya whose death in 1997 after fighting Briton Paul Burke in Lusaka irked Zambians, Chisanda Mutti, twice Commonwealth Games silver medallist Julius Luipa, 2002 Commonwealth Games flyweight champion Kennedy Kanyanta, Esther Phiri, WBC bantamweight champion Catherine Phiri, former Zambia federation president Charm Chiteule, 1984 LA Olympics bronze medallist Keith Mwila, 1978 Commonwealth Games featherweight silver medallist John Sichula and 1973 African Games flyweight champion Tim Feruka who also took part in the 1971 inaugural East African Championships at Nairobi’s City Hall.
The mighty Zambians will add more fire and flavour in the AFBC Zone 3 show
Eight of the 14-member countries of AFBC Zone 3 have already confirmed participation. They are DR Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Somalia and hosts Kenya.
The six yet to confirm are Rwanda, Gabon, Chad, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
He will defend his Japanese welterweight belt and vie for the vacant Asia World Boxing Organisation title
One fight, two titles at stake on August 21, 2025, at the famous Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
That’s what Uganda’s David “Tank” Ssemujju (8-1-0, 4 KOs) will fight for against Japanese challenger Kosei Nogami (4-0-0, 2 KOs).
Ssemujju will vie for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific welterweight title as well as defend his Japanese title he captured on August 27, 2024, with a seventh round stoppage victory over Japan’s Aso Ishiwaki, the first time the Ugandan boxer was featuring in a 10 rounder which however
did not go the full distance.
A silver middleweight medallist at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco, Ssemujju relocated to Japan in December, 2023 courtesy of compatriot and his coach Jeff Nygoi, younger brother to former Ugangan international London-based John Bosco Igoe who represented Uganda at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
In an interview with boxersworld.co.ke, the 32-year-old Nagoya-based Sssemujju said he has prepared well for the fight and confident of carrying the day.
“I know nothing about my opponent but I will destroy him,” roared Semujju after his morning workout.
As part of his preparations for the August 21 card, Ssemujju trained in Uganda for one month.
“In Uganda everything was fine training under different coaches to enable me master all fighting styles,” said Ssemujju, adding:”I used to spar with Isaac Masembe, Ssebuufu Isaac and other talented boxers, It was good training I enjoyed it being close with my former teammates, close friends and family.”
Coach Nygoi is also oozing confidence ahead of this important fight in Ssemujju’s pro boxing career, and explained why it was necessary for Ssemujju to camp in Uganda.
“The main reason we had him train in Uganda was because in Japan we don’t have enough sparring partners for him especially southpaws in his weight class. In Uganda they’re many experienced boxers who can switch between southpaw and orthodox so it was an ideal environment for sparring.
“Also being at home allowed him to feel comfortable and relaxed free from pressure. He could eat natural, familiar foods and avoid homesickness. Overall it was a strategy that worked well for him and us.”
Nygoi said Ssemujju is gradually adapting to Japanese life and is now more comfortable than during his initial days in Nagoya.
“He’s adapting well the language is still a challenge so communication with the Japanese is limited but with me here it makes him feel comfortable he knows there’s somebody from home with him.
“With food he’s come a long way. When he arrived he couldn’t eat Japanese foods like sushi or raw fish but now he says it’s delicious, he’s grown fond of Japanese fried chicken, french fries and sashimi.
I ask Nygoi on Ssemujju’s training, general lifestyle and whom does he live with?
“On training days, if it’s a running day, he wakes up at 5am, drives to the mountains in Gifu and does his mountain runs on his own and then he drives back to his apartment, showers and relaxes.
David Ssemujju with his Japanese belt
“He lives alone in a one-roomed apartment. It’s comfortable for him and does everything himself like cooking, cleaning. He just concentrates on boxing he doesn’t work, he’s given an allowance for food and other expenses so that he can do his own shopping, the house rent is catered for.
Regarding the August 21 fight strategy, Nygoi said they already have a game plan.
“We’ve reviewed available footage I don’t think we’ll have problems with his opponent,” said Nygoi.
“He’s calm in the ring, no rush, no frantic speed and he tends to throw short punches operating mostly as an in-fighter.
“Our strategy is to stay neither too far from him nor too close just the right distance to neutralize his strength. He has a rich amateur record with 64 fights, 56 wins and the rest losses. In his four pro fights, two went to eight rounds and his first two pro fights ended in first round KOs.
“Ssemujju is looking forward to the fight feeling relaxed and his weight is exactly where it needs to be.,”
Nygoi explains the importance of the August 21 fight to Ssemujju.
“Ssemujju is rated number one in the WBO Asia Pacific rankings, and his opponent, Kosei Nogami, is ranked number six,” said Nygoi.
“The Japan Boxing Commission decided this upcoming fight will be for both titles and because the belt is vacant Nogami is a qualified challenger.
“The significance of the fight is huge for Ssemujju. If he wins the WBO Asia Pacific belt he’ll automatically be in the WBO’s world’s top 10. From there if he defends the title successfully two to four times he could move to the top five and earn a chance to fight for the WBO world title.”
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF). The WBO’s headquarters are located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
And how did Nygoi make it possible for Ssemujju to join him in Nagoya, I ask him.
“When I came for the Tokyo Olympics I built connections with three boxers in the team, Ssemujju, Shadir Bwogi and Catherine Nanziri. I wanted to stay and work with all three but the team’s Chef de Mission told me they needed to return home first and then I arrange for them to join me in Nagoya.
“On their return home I stayed in touch with two of them Ssemujju and Shadir, the latter went on a separate trip to Russia, so I focused on bringing Ssemujju to Nagoya. He initially came as a visitor and then his visa was changed to a boxing visa. His official promoter is Chunichi Boxing Gym but the upcoming fight will be under Ohashi Promotions.”
As Nygoi went on stitching the deal together for Ssemujju to join him in Nagoya, Ssemujju decided to campaign from home first, turning pro in February, 2022, after representing Uganda at the Tokyo Olympics. He joined the newly-formed 12 Sports Rounds Promotions owned by a Ugandan businessman Stephen Sembuya now based in the USA. The colourful and widely publicised launch took place on February 22, 2022.
He made a successful and forceful debut on April 1 of the same year, decisioning compatriot Hamza Latigo in a six rounder.
Ssemujju’s next three wins were all inside the distance. He TKO’d Samali Ntambi in the first round, knocked out Herbert Mugarwa in the third round and doing the same to Kennedy Ayoo in the fifth round.
With Nagoya deal sealed, the big-hitting Ssemujju finally joined Nygoi at the end of 2023.
In his Japan debut on March 31, 2024, Ssemujju outpointed Japan’s Hiroya Nojima over eight rounds.
He then suffered his first pro defeat, a split eight-round decision in his sixth fight to Uzbekistan’s 27-year-old southpaw Kamronbek Eshmatov on August 6, 2024.
“I can say the Uzbek is the toughest opponent I’ve met so far in pro boxing but it was a very close decision,” Ssemujju told me in a telephone interview from Nagoya.
Ssemujju has remained unbeaten in three fights since his loss to the Uzbek boxer.
He returned with a bang to the ring for his seventh fight on August 27, 2024, capturing the Japanese welterweight title with a seventh round stoppage victory over Aso Ishiwaki, and then he saw off Takeru Kobata with a 10-round points decision in his eighth fight on December 12, 2024. Ssemuju then scored another 10-round points win over Shisa Minagawa on March 23, 2025, in his ninth fight.
Comparing Japanese boxing approach to Uganda, Ssemujju said most of them are fighters.
“The Japanese are so aggressive in their boxing whereas in Uganda we’re more skillful and tactical.”
Ssemujju got involved with boxing in 2009 at Bogie Boxing Club in Kampala under coach Bogere Francis and made his international debut in 2017.
His most memorable achievement in amateur boxing was a silver medal he won at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco, losing in the final middleweight bout to Morocco’s Tarik Allali. The silver earned him the Boxer of the Year Award in Uganda.
Ssemujju said life in Japan is not a bed of roses but he is coping up gradually because he knows why he is there.
“It’s not easy here, sometimes I feel lonely but as an experienced widely-travelled boxer I’m used to this kind of life. I use this place as training camp to concentrate more on my fights.”
Dirang Thipe brings over 34 years of boxing experience, from being a decorated coach and administrator to serving in multiple BOBA leadership roles.
Phetogo Tsheko is a long-serving BOBA member since 1987, transitioning from referee/judge duties to the Vice President’s office with decades of dedication to the sport.
Tshiamo Moalosi combines academic excellence, including a Master’s in Entrepreneurship, with hands-on experience as an IBA 1-Star Coach and boxing coordinator.
Kabelo Seleka is a former seasoned sports media professional and MBA candidate, bringing strategic communications expertise to elevate the sport’s profile.
Refilwe Letshwiti is a BICA-qualified Chartered Accountant with four years’ proven leadership as Treasurer, ensuring transparent, compliant, and efficient financial operations in sports administration.
Boitumelo Taolo is a long-term administrator for Francistown Boxing Club and immediate former Vice President of BOBA, whose journey began as a boxer.
Dintwa Sloca is a four-time national champion and African silver medallist whose illustrious amateur and professional career inspires the next generation.
AFBC Zone 3 and BFK President Anthony "Jamal" Otieno confirms government will fund Africa Zone 3 Championships in Nairobi from October 15-25, 2025
Eight countries have already confirmed participation in the first regional event in 20 years to be hosted by Kenya
Kenyan boxing fans – starved of regional international matches at home for 20 years – will finally quench their thirst when the East African country hosts Africa Zone 3 Championships at the KICC, Nairobi, from October 15-25, 2025.
A delighted Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) President Anthony “Jamal” Otieno said the government has given them the greenlight to stage the tournament.
“By giving us the go-ahead it means our beloved government under the able leadership of President William Samoei Ruto has accepted to fund the tournament,” said Jamal.
Africa light-middleweight champion Boniface Mogunde listens attentively to head coach Musa Benjamin and his deputy David Munuhe in a past Africa Zone 3 Championships in Kinshasa
“We wholeheartedly thank the government through the ministry in charge of sports headed by CS Salim Mvurya for their kind gesture. We’re a planning to stage the most successful ever Zone 3 Championships, and I’m appealing to all member countries to attend the event.
“As the Zone 3 and BFK President, I also take this opportunity to congratulate President Ruto for inspiring our Kenyan footballers with handsome cash incentives in the ongoing Africa CHAN tournament showing his unwavering commitment to empower our youth in sports which is now a big industry.In this regard, we hope the President will also extend the same generosity to our Kenyan boxers in the Nairobi boxing extravaganza.”
Kenya’s national boxing team at the 2021 Africa Zone 3 Championships in Kinshasa, DR Congo
The Africa Zone 3 tournament will be the first regional event in 20 years to be hosted by Kenya since the Zone 5 Championships held in 2005 at the Kasarani Gymnasium in Nairobi.
AFBC Zone 3 comprises 14-member countries eight of whom have already confirmed participation. They are DR Congo, Tanzania, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Somalia and hosts Kenya.
The six member countries yet to confirm are Gabon, Uganda, Rwanda, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic but there’s every indication they will be in Nairobi not only to participate but also admire the beauty of the City in the Sun, the warm hospitality of the Kenyans, visit Nairobi National Park – the only national park in the world based in the capital city -, whet their appetite with the best nyama choma in Africa including roasted crocodile meat at the world famous meat-eating joint Carnivore Restaurant and of course shake a leg when sampling the vibrant Nairobi night life.
DR Congo won the previous two Africa Zone 3 championships held in Kinshasa in 2021 and 2022 staving off stiff challenge from Kenya but this time around, the going will not be easy to overcome Kenya at their own backyard especially in view of the fact that Kenya will parade two teams like DR Congo did as hosts.
Leading the DR Congo onslaught will be their two-time Africa champion Pita Kabeji who will be confronted by the twin-pronged assault of twice Africa bronze medallist Kenya’s Robert “Man Man Ngori” Okaka and Tanzania’s Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Yusuf Changalawe who is baying for the blood of Kabeji.
The DR Congo boxer claimed Changalawe deliberately stayed out of the 2024 Africa Championships in Kinshasa because he was scared stiff of meeting Kabeji. The two boxers have fought thrice Kabeji winning twice and Changalawe once during the IBA Champions Night card in 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Sparks will fly in the light-heavyweight division featuring from left Tanzania’s Yusuf Changalawe, DR Congo’s Pita Kabeji and Kenya’s Robert “Man Man Ngori” Okaka
Their third encounter won by Changalawe on points ended acrimoniously with Kabeji blasting the judges for giving the fight to Changalawe on a silver platter.
“He didn’t win the fight, I’m very surprised how the judges officiated,” Kabeji told me in his dressing room at Adwa Museum in Addis Ababa on August 17, 2024.
Kabeji was calmly furious after the gruelling bout in the first ever IBA Champions Night card staged on African soil.
“Look at me I’ve no injuries but Changalawe’s face is swollen from the punishment I handed him,” said Kabeji, twice gold medallist in the Africa Elite Championships.
In the last Africa Zone 3 Championships held in 2022, DR Congo, inspired by the wildly enthusiastic boxing-crazy home fans and fielding two teams, topped the medals chart with 13 gold, 13 silver and 12 bronze medals followed by a rejuvenated Kenya team in second position with six gold medals, five silvers and seven bronzes. Among the six Kenyan gold medallists were three female boxers welterweight Everlyn Akinyi, light-welterweight Teresia Wanjiru and light-heavyweight Liz Andiego with flyweight David Karanja, bantamweight Shaffi Bakari and featherweight Samuel Njau winning the other three gold medals. Cameroon placed third followed by guest team Mauritius, Congo Brazzaville and sixth-placed Equatorial Guinea.
At the 2021 Zone 3 Championships, Kenya was represented by 16 boxers who won one gold through super heavyweight Elly Ajowi, five silvers by flyweight Christine Ongare, flyweight David Karanja, featherweight Nick Okoth, welterweight Boniface Mogunde and heavyweight Joshua Wasike while the five bronze medallists were lightweight Stacy Ayoma, welterweight Elizabeth Akinyi, middleweight Liz Andiego, middleweights Edwin Awuor, Cosby Ouma and light-heavyweight Hezron Magaga.
A TOTAL of 36 participants from five countries completed a 10-day Star-1 Coaching Course at the CCM building in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The course, held from July 26 to August 6 was attended by 30 coaches from Tanzania, Ethiopia three and one each from Malawi, Comoros and Bangladesh.
Boxing Federation of Tanzania (BFT) organised the course in conjunction with the International Boxing Association (IBA) whose Coaches Committee Chairman Dr. Gabriele Martelli conducted the online course.
BFT President, Lukelo Willilo, said the course was not only beneficial to the hosts Tanzania but the rest of the participants taking into account the importance of coaches in disseminating crucial knowledge to the boxers.
“It’s a big step forward to BFT in our efforts to empower our coaches with knowledge, we will organise more such courses to ensure eventually we have a big number of Star-3 coaches in Tanzania, all participants were satisfied with the knowledge they gained from Martelli,” said Willilo who is also the Secretary-General of the Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) Zone 3 Region.
Willilo said plans are underway for BFT to organise another international coaching course towards the end of the year in Dar es Salaam.
