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Must-win for Ssimbwa in Paris bid
There is no joy yet for Uganda.
What you need to know:
Since the 50s, Uganda has sent boxers to every Olympic edition, except at Montreal 1976, when the entire Africa boycotted, and London 2012, at the peak of administrative wrangles.
Australia-based boxer Regarn Simbwa must win today to keep Uganda’s hope of appearing at the Paris 2024 Olympics alive after his two colleagues dropped out instantly.
Simbwa opens his campaign at the 2nd World Boxing Olympic Qualifier in Bangkok, Thailand on Thursday against Hungary’s Koppany Feher, after both fighters got byes to the 92kg Round of 32.
This will be Simbwa’s first time representing Uganda since the lanky boxer stayed in Australia after the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Goldcoast.
Simbwa’s official amateur record, including the two bouts at the Goldcoast Games, has seven wins and four losses. His latest bout was a victory against Bailey Litster in the 2024 King of the Ring final in Auburn PCYC, Lidcombe on March 10.
Feher, 23, has won seven and lost 13 of his amateur bouts since his debut in October 2017. His latest fight was a quarterfinal defeat to Serbian Sadam Magomedov in the 92kg category of the European Championships in Belgrade on April 22.
If Simbwa defeats Feher he will be one more win away from landing the coveted ticket to Paris, a test that failed Muzamir Kakande, a former African champion, and Musa Shadir Bwogi, who was Uganda’s flagbearer at Tokyo 2020.
Since the 50s, Uganda has sent boxers to every Olympic edition, except at Montreal 1976, when the entire Africa boycotted, and London 2012, at the peak of administrative wrangles.
For now though, after the continental qualifier in Dakar and the 1st World Qualifier in Busto Arsizio, Italy in March, Paris 2024 looks an improbable goal.
Meanwhile, African boxers have made it easy for Cuba’s Jorge Cuellar. So far, he has only fought Uganda’s Kakande whom he defeated by unanimous decision on Friday.
But the Cuban is one win away from scooping the Olympic ticket thanks to two walkovers against Liberia’s Frederick Kiwitt and DR Congo’s Steve Kulenguluka.
World Boxing Olympic qualifier
Thursday in Bangkok, Thailand
Regarn Simbwa vs Koppany Feher (Hungary)
Uganda's results
Muzamir Kakande 0-5 Jorge Cuellar (Cuba)
Shadir Bwogi 2-3 Nekruz Salimov (Tajikstan)
