Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) has received a timely donation in form of equipment worth six thousand dollars (USD6000) from the world governing body, International Boxing Association (AIBA).
The equipment which includes punching bags (four), head gears (12), protectors (10), gloves (62), breast caps (nine), pads (48), chest guards, groin caps among others was unveiled to the media on Monday at route 256 restaurant in Lugogo.
The donation is part of AIBA’s Financial Support Programme which was launched to provide development and equipment resources for the work of its National Federations and Confederations aiming at facilitating their proposed programs.
The financial aid is part of the proposed initial fund of USD 20,000 passed during the 2021 AIBA Congress aimed at supportind federations worldwide and helping the sport of Boxing take significant strides.
Addressing the media in Kampala, UBF president Moses Muhangi commended the strong relationship with AIBA and maintained that the package is subject to be improved.
“Each federation was required to submit a proposal which fits in the stimulus package and is subject to being improved. As UBF, we wanted our domestic competitions to run effeciently and showed need for equipment and repairing our outdated rings.”
The certified AIBA/NTO felt optimistic about banking on the financial backing to hold the inaugural Champions League as the USD 14000 balance is poised to be deposited directly to UBF bank account by AIBA.
Muhangi told ChimpReports that the Champions League will have so many objectives among which is to engage the National team boxers and become extremely busy and competitive and also improve on their seedings.
“For us to know who is a better boxer in a certain category, we need to have them box against each other and the one who’s leading a certain weight category becomes seed number one who could go for the Commonwealth Games, Seed 2 can go for the All Africa Games while 3 could go for East African games.”
Unlike the Box-Off trials which enabled boxers to relax after winning, the maiden Champions League (to be played in a round robin format) will enable them keep training for bouts to be scheduled on a weekly basis.
He said the maiden League isn’t a direct qualification route to the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but athletes with more points by June next year will be put on the National team, engaged in better training for the games in Birmingham.
The Champions League is tentatively scheduled to kick-off in the first week of December this year and run for about one year, played on a weekly basis.
Muhangi believes if the league tees off as structured, it will enable the federation have a well packaged product that will attract sponsors hence boxers will bank hefty prize money at the climax of the league.
He was flanked by Rose Kabwama (UBF Women affairs representative, Simon Barigo (Chief Executive Officer), Richard Muhummuza (Treasurer) and other officials.
