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Raise your stock: ABU president Houichi to ring officials
Houichi (C) flanked by UPBC boss Salim Uhuru (L) and ABU general secretary Mulangira at Hotel Africana. PHOTO/ABDUL-NASSER SSEMUGABI
What you need to know:
The Tunisian, who is also the World Boxing Council vice president and an international fight supervisor, arrived first among 50 delegates who will grace the convention that will start with a training course for referees and judges at Africana next week.
African Boxing Union president Houcine Houichi, has urged Ugandan ring officials to up their game or miss out on the huge opportunities on the continent and across the boxing globe.
“Ring officials don’t attend seminars which cost us a lot of money to organise every year. Recently we were in Nairobi and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. This year we are in Uganda.
"So they cannot blame us. But the truth is if they are not up to date, we can’t appoint them for big fights,” Houichi told the press briefly, on arrival at Hotel Africana.
The Tunisian, who is also the World Boxing Council vice president and an international fight supervisor, arrived first among 50 delegates who will grace the convention that will start with a training course for referees and judges at Africana next week.
Houichi last visited Kampala in 2018 and admitted some of the targets they set then were not hit. But there is hope that this year’s convention will , among others, discuss new boxing rules, launching a new title, the state and conduct of promoters.
Houichi was received by ABU general secretary Maureen Mulangira, and outgoing Uganda Professional Boxing Commission president Salim Uhuru.
“We are grateful to all our partners: the media, Gen. Salim Saleh, and whoever has been with us in the build-up to this event,” Mulangira said.
“We expect about 50 delegates from different countries by Monday. And in boxing this is just the beginning of such events.”
She urged the National Council of Sports, the Uganda Olympic Committee, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Education and Sports to join the caravan. “This is not just a professional boxing affair; it’s for everything boxing.”
Uhuru said his commission is proud to host the ABU convention again. “But this time I call upon the ring officials that you must attend this course. Otherwise, you will lose out on international fight assignments.”
ABU CONVENTION
Dates: August 19-23
Venue: Hotel Africana
Foreign delegates: 50
Key events: Ring officials seminar
