TANZANIA’S MUSSA SHUZA TURNED INTO MINCED MEAT BY UGANDA’S HENRY KASUJJA
▪️As expected all the five Tanzanian boxers were beaten, a familiar script now as it’s known they are used by promoters to build records of their opponents provided they have the money
▪️ A spoonful of fans turned up in the first Nairobi pro boxing show by Ugandan promoter Steve Sembuya
Uganda’s welterweight Henry “Stopper” Kasujja knocked out Tanzania’s Mussa Shuza in the second round of a non-title super- welterweight fight scheduled for eight rounds at Nairobi’s Charter Hall on Saturday, May 24.
Kasujja dominated the first round carrying the fight to the visibly shaken Shuza, hitting him with targeted punches to the body and moving upstairs. It was just a matter of time the Tanzania would definitely visit the canvas. All indications were there.
The end came in the second round. Shuza as usual was backpedalling to avoid Kasujja’s heavier blows. This time Kasujja timed his move, making sure he was within range and unleashed a powerful left hook to the chin that sent the Tanzanian crashing to the canvas for a count of 10 by Kenyan referee Julius Odhiambo.
A groggy and beaten Shuza remained comfortably on the canvas for about a minute before he was assisted back to his corner by his seconders. To him the KO was no big deal. He had made his money, probably paid more than his superior Ugandan opponent. That’s what astute promoters do in building the record of their boxers who reap the rewards later.
“He was heavier than me by 10kgs, at first he was 71kg, too strong but it’s boxing. I’m going back to Tanga to train for my next fight,” said Shuza who has lost more fights than he has won. His record dropped to 5-8-0 with two KOs.
Kasujja, now 12-1-1 with five KOs denied he was heavier than Shuza.
“We were weighed at the same time, he should have refused fighting me, he was just scared of me right from the weigh-in, I’m happy I’ve improved my record.”
Yes Kasujja has improved his record through the nondescript Tanzanian opponent. It’s a familiar script as most Tanzanian boxers are normally used by promoters to improve the records of their boxers. Very few of them win their fights outside Tanzania.
For instance at Charter Hall, all the five Tanzanian boxers in action were beaten proving easy meat for the Ugandans but they returned home happy their pockets bulging with Kenyan money which is like gold in Tanzania. The exchange rates vary, Ksh 1000 goes for Tsh 20,866.40.
Charter Hall was virtually empty with just a paltry attendance but for shrewd Ugandan businessman, Steve Sembuya, he was not bothered much about the attendance.
“My primary objective was to improve the records of my boxers not the the attendance,” said Sembuya from the United States where he’s based.
The first Tanzanian casualty to the Ugandan boxers was super-bantamweight Ali Donyo who was TKO’d in the second round by Sadat Segawa.
Then came light-middleweight Abdallah Yoba against the polished pro boxing debutant Owen “Metrix” Kibira. He pushed the Ugandan to the sixth round before he was KO’d.
The next Tanzania victim was light-heavyweight Ali Hamisi Mzee. He could not withstand the relentless flurry of Abdul Njego and it came as no surprise when he was TKO’d in the second round for the Ugandan to improve his record to 8-3-0 with 6 KOs.
Super-welterweight Isheka Norbert was the fourth Tanzanian casualty, KO’d in the sixth round by James Sebulamu followed by Shuza.
Earlier, promoter Sembuya’s son Jayden King TKO’d Kenya’s Kadmat Oduor Adie in the first round in a special contest.
Jayden told boxersworld.co.ke he is planning to join his dad in the US next year. “I want to become a world champion, I’ll improve my boxing in America,” said Jayden.
In a scheduled six-round middleweight bout, Sweden’s Adam Belaria TKO’d Uganda’s Fredrick Okon in the first round.
Sembuya’s second show in Nairobi will be a Kenya vs Uganda match. This one will be cracker given the boxing rivalry between the two countries.
