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Nerrick Bulabe becoming a brand, Mawanda stunned
Nerrick Tumusiime (white trucks) against Depark Mawanda during the Boxing Champions league at New Club Obligato. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
In the weigh-in on Friday, and throughout the build-up to Week Seven of the boxing league at the New Obligato, Tumusiime warned that Depark Mawanda would not last beyond three rounds.
When someone is in form, almost everything they say becomes a prophecy, and everything happens in their favour. That is exactly what describes Nerrick Tumusiime’s steady rise into a brand name in the Uganda Boxing Champions League.
His official introduction to most boxing fans was that controversial split decision against 2022 Commonwealth Games boxer Owen Kibira in the light middleweight final of the National Open Championship in April.
But since then, Tumusiime has lived up to his ring name Nerrick Bulabe—meaning Nerrick Danger—by defeating two more opponents with more ring experience than his. What’s more: all have been main fights, which is also due to his ability to market himself. Perfecting showbiz and ring craft makes him the ideal boxer for the league whose organisers view boxing from the Floyd Mayweather prism.
In the weigh-in on Friday, and throughout the build-up to Week Seven of the boxing league at the New Obligato, Tumusiime warned that Depark Mawanda would not last beyond three rounds.
It actually ended in two rounds, when the referee stopped the contest after Mawanda suffered a deep cut above his left eye and Tumusiime was declared winner because he was leading on the judges’ scorecard.
Mawanda has a build of a potentially stylish boxer: lean and long hands and trunk. But he must work on his endurance and defense. He shrugged off the premature defeat, blaming it entirely on the injury, which he said was due to a headbut.
But he may even be thankful for that early misfortune for saving him from more torture, because in barely six minutes of action, he had conceded three counts. The first count came in the middle of round one when Tumusiime’s powerful left hook to the chin knocked Mawanda to the canvas.
Yet Mawanda could also land his own knockdown, because both fighters attacked more than they defended and both looked vulnerable in the rapid exchanges. The difference is that Tumusiime at times ducked to avoid the missiles but Mawanda’s head was often caught unguarded. And at times he looked like a confused baby.
Shafick Mawanda stunned
It was a terrible night for the Mawandas. While one was expected to lose, another—Shafick Mawanda—was the favourite but lost the tight flyweight contest to Livingston Matovu.
Despite showing the urge to attack, and switching from orthodox to southpaw and back, Shafick was not his usual self. Limited in stature, against a taller opponent, Shafick did not shoot the body enough as he usually does, and often missed Matovu’s head, meanwhile conceding shots he should have easily avoided. He did not move his head well.
For a boxer who recently went to the Olympic qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal and in Bangkok, Thailand, he should have done better to impress his new employers Lukanga. Now he has lost that aura of invincibility on the local scene. And his next opponent will refer to this fight for some tips.
Boxing Champions League
Select results - Week seven
Livingston Matovu (Brawn) def. Shafick Mawanda (Lukanga) 4:3
Reagan Magumba (Lukanga) def. Frank Kazungu (Brawn) KO RD 2
Henry Kimuli (Mutajjazi) def. James Japyem (UPDF) 4:3
Zakia Mundu (UPDF) def. Kallen Mukisa (Lukanga) 5:0
Jimmy Adriko (KCCA) def. Shafic Nasasira (Police) RSC RD 4
