Before he turned professional, famous Ugandan boxer John Paul "the Beast" Mugabi was simply John Mugabi--a young and hard-hitting, fast, promising boxer. After his silver medal win at the 1980 Olympics that were held in Moscow, 20 year-old Mugabi eyed the professional scene. Renowned British trainer and manager Mickey Duff noticed Mugabi and quickly enlisted him. Duff is one of many (including Ugandan Charles Lubulwa who participated in 3 Olympic tournaments) who opine that Mugabi was robbed of the Olympic gold medal. Into the professional ranks, Mugabi's ferocity, strength, and speed in the ring would earn him the nickname, "the Beast,"--one that Mugabi has voiced as unflattering, but which the world became stuck on referring to him.
It was in the Parish of the Sacred Heart in Nogales in Arizona that Mugabi while training for what would become his most epic battle, that with world middleweight champion "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler on 10th March 1986, that Mugabi would acquire the name Paul after baptism into Catholicism (Clive Gammon, "This Beast Is a Beauty," in 'Sports Illustrated'; March 03, 1986).
Semi-arid Nogales 'City of Walnut Trees', stringing along the Mexican border, is Arizona's biggest border town. Tiny Rio Rico is ten miles north of Nogales, and it is here at the Sheraton Hotel that a Mugabi training camp was set up in preparation for the Hagler encounter. Mugabi's trainer, instrumental to his getting baptized, was the same Father Anthony Clark---the parish priest.
Back in 1976, 16 year-old Mugabi won a welterweight silver medal after losing to American Herol Graham in the Junior Amateur World Boxing Championships. Interestingly, only weeks before Mugabi's battle with Hagler, Graham dethroned Ugandan Ayub Kalule of the European middleweight title after knocking him out in the tenth round. This fight would spell the end of Kalule's illustrious boxing career. Many have wondered what would have been the outcome of a bout between Kalule and Mugabi. There is a 6-year age difference, and Kalule had been an idol and mentor of young Mugabi years back in Kampala.
The Olympic Games of 1976, held in Montreal were boycotted by many nations, including Uganda. Ayub Kalule had been scheduled to fight for Uganda. He became a professional boxer. And so did team-mate Cornelius Bbosa who was later to become widely known as Cornelius Bosa (Boza) Edwards, and become a world junior-lightweight champion.
The major highlight of the Games in Montreal were the finals of the welterweight boxing division, the date 31st July 1976. Young American "Sugar" Ray Leonard, who planned to stop boxing and continue with school at the University of Maryland was pitted against a stronger and taller Cuban with a stellar knock-out record. This Andres Aldama who had knocked out all five of his previous opponents, was expected to win. But Leonard, similar to Muhammad Ali in his earlier career adopted a "hit-and-run" strategy, and elusively frustrated and angered the Cuban. As the Cuban charged, Leonard would throw in a rapid combination of solid and accurate punches and then retreat. It was like a David-Goliath slaughtering, that even involved the Cuban getting knocked down, and also taking two mandatory counts.
The Moscow Olympic finals of the welterweight division in boxing, 2nd August 1980, involved a second coming of the experienced dreaded Andres Aldama. Among his recent accolades was a gold medal win at the Pan African Games held in Puerto Rico in the previous year. Aldama's opponent John Mugabi at 20, was 4 years younger, far less experienced, and far less tested and known than himself. Each of the two boxers had knocked out four out of five of their previous Olympic boxing opponents. John Mugabi was Uganda's remaining prospect for gold.
In the first round Mugabi proved to be the more active one. He threw many jabs, but the tall southpaw Aldama kept most of them at bay, most were not hitting their target. Aldama seemed to be studying his opponent, sizing him up. The judges probably gave this round to Mugabi, just for the effort.
The second round saw Aldama come off his stool fighting hard and determined. He gained confidence as the round progressed, unleashing hard head-shots on Mugabi several times. Toward the end of the round, he caused Mugabi to briefly stumble. But Mugabi courageously counter-attacked, obviously without intention to cave in. And just like most capable southpaws, Aldama would sporadically confuse Mugabi by his switching to the orthodox boxing stance.
The third round was a war. Mugabi was landing blows to the head in the brawl, but Aldama's delivery was noticeably more significant. Aldama was also more accurate. Mugabi was tiring in the face of experience and stiff solid punches, and he briefly staggered from a hard punch. He did not yield to a knockdown, but a hypothetical fourth round would likely have resulted in Mugabi getting knocked out. Mugabi always had the strength and heart, but ineffectiveness at defending himself was his major career weakness.
The referee declared the fight a deserved 4-1 in favor of Aldama. The entirety of the fight is available on U-Tube. Thirty years later, legendary John Mugabi remains the last Ugandan to win an Olympic boxing medal.
Jonathan Musere
Showing posts with label boza-edwards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label boza-edwards. Show all posts
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Mustapha Wasajja: Uganda, Africa, and Pre-Olympics Boxing Champion
Mustapha (Mustafa) Wasajja (Wassaja / Wassajja / Wasaja) was born on July 16, 1953 in Kampala, Uganda). As an amateur, Wasajja fought at welter-, light-middle-, and middle-weight. Wasajja, debilitated by weakness and shakiness for years, eventually succumbed to Parkinsonism on April 26 2009, near Kampala in Uganda.
In the early 1970's, Wasajja was under the tutelage of Uganda's legendary and most famous coach Peter Grace Sseruwagi (Seruwagi) and national trainer Kesi Odongo (who at the 1962 Commonwealth Games held in Perth in Australia, won a a silver medal in the lightweight divison). As a light-welterweight, Sseruwagi represented Uganda at the 1960 Olympic Games held in Rome but was eliminated outside medal contention. Long-time Uganda sports official and ex-Uganda army commander Francis (Frank) Nyangweso, a light-middleweight contender at that time, was also eliminated in the earlier bouts at the same Games.
Wasajja's first distinguished international accomplishment came in the African Amateur Championships held in his native Uganda, in Kampala in November 1974. Wasajja won gold in the middleweight division. Gold medal wins by fellow countrymen James Odwori (Oduori), Ayub Kalule, Vitalis Bbege, Mohamed Muruli; together with silver medal wins by Ali Rojo and Jacob Odongo, further established two-time (1970 and 1974) Commonwealth boxing overall champion Uganda as international ring master. Earlier on in January 1974 at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, Wasajja, as Uganda's middleweight, was in the quarter finals knocked out in the first round by Les Rackley of New Zealand. And at the World Boxing Championships held in August 1974, Wasajja was outpointed in the quarter-finals by Dragomir Vujkovic of Yugoslavia.
An upcoming major outing for the glorious Ugandans would have been at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal in Canada. Many African countries, including Uganda, boycotted these Games. Notable Ugandan boxers such as Wasajja, Ayub Kalule, and Cornelius Bbosa (Boza-Edwards), would henceforth move into the growing field of professional boxing. These were the seeds of the 1980's golden era of Uganda boxing during which Ugandans, notably Ayub Kalule, Cornelius Boza-Edwards, and John "the Beast" Mugabi became professional world champions.
Of note is that a tune up for the 1976 Olympic Games included the international Pre-Olympic Boxing Tournament held in Montreal from November 27 to December 1, 1975. Uganda was represented by Wasajja (middleweight), hard punching and dreaded knockout specialist and Africa Champion Vitalis Bbege (welterweight), and Jacob Odonga (light-heavyweight). Only Wasajja emerged winner, while his counterparts were defeated in their finals. In the quarter-finals, Wasajja thouroughly outpointed Pietro Contarini of Canada. This was followed by Wasajja beating Jacobus Schmidt of Holland on points. The finals involved Wasajja beating Bryan Gibson of Canada by 4:1. Vitalis Bbege was also scheduled to fight for Uganda at the upcoming but aborted Olympics. Bbege soon moved to West Germany (FDR) where he boxed as a club amateur and even represented Germany at a dual friendly with the United States. He is well settled in Germany with family and he is a fitness and boxing trainer in Flensburg.
Wasajja fought in 28 official fights as a professional boxer. These fights of Wasajja took place from March 1977 to March 1983, and Wasajja became a top-ten world contender as a light-heavyweight and cruiserweight from the late 1970's to the mid-1980's. Aside from his last three fights, his bouts essentially took place in Denmark and Norway. Of his only professional wins and one draw (25 bouts), 76% of them went the distance, Wasajja registering 24% as knocks-outs of his opponents. Wasajja stood out as a southpaw, a mostly agile, fast, and stamina endowed puncher who would endure all the rounds other than deliver as a power knockout pugilist.On September 9, 1978 in Copenhagen, Wasajja technically knocked out legendary former world light-heavyweight Bob (Robert Lloyd) Foster with a retirement in the 5th round. The lanky 6'3" tall Foster, considered one of the world's all-time (light-heavyweights) greats had over the years been in many vicious battles with notable fighters, including epic heavyweights like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Ernie Terrel. He is regarded as the best boxer to have hailed from the USA state of New Mexico. Foster achieved mixed results when fighting the heavyweight boxers. Foster had also retired several times and made comebacks. When Foster battled Wasajja , he was aged 40 and undoubtedly way past his prime. After one more fight thereafter (a rematch with Bob Hazelton in which Foster was knocked), Foster would retire for the last time. Wasajja was only 25 at that time. Foster lay his gloves down, ending with a marvelous 56 wins (46 by knockout) and 8 losses.
From his professional debut in March 1977 until February 13, 1982, Wasajja achieved a 100% winning streak. It was then that he battled legendary Michael Spinks (later to become World Heavyweight Champion) for the light-heavyweight crown, in the New Jersey Atlantic City in the USA. Wasajja's crossing the Atlantic for a chance at the belt, spelled his demise. Prior to the fight with Spinks, Wasajja, regarded as a mystery man (whose names were difficult to spell) by the American fans and writers became the number one ranked contender for the WBA light-heavyweight crown. Previously, in 1980, Wasajja had become the 3rd-ranked WBA contender.Subsequently, Wasajja was knocked out by Spinks in the sixth round, and therefore failed to capture the World Boxing Association (WBA) title.
In July of the same year, Wasajja lost his next bout (which went the distance) to Tony Mundine in France, and thereafter in Lusaka (Zambia), Wasajja was knocked out by Zambian Lottie Mwale in only three rounds, and thus failing to capture the British Commonwealth Light-heavyweight title. At age 29 Wasajja had fought his last professional fight. Undoubtedly, the last three were bouts were Wasajja's toughest and most significant; they were against game opponents. Sadly, it was in the three that Wasajja succumbed. These three significantly injured and exposed Wasajja's weaknesses. Nevertheless, Wasajja established himself as one of the greatest Uganda boxers, and significantly as one of the greatest among the pioneering Uganda professional boxers.
Of note, Lottie Mwale, who was the same age as Wasajja, boxed professionally until 1994; he stands out as one of the greatest of African boxers. He participated in 53 professional bouts won most of them by knockout and was also an African Boxing Union (ABU) champion. The greatest Zambian boxer succumbed in 2005, at age 53, to Parkinsonism which is the same affliction that legendary Muhammad Ali endures. Zambians, with their love for boxing, apparently harbor an appreciably enduring memory of Mustapha Wasajja. And Zambians, have for decades been traditional boxing rivals of Ugandans. Charles Chisamba, the Zambian light-heavyweight champion, carries the nickname, "Wasajja" ("Wasaja"). On January 24, 2009 in Lusaka, Chisamba outpointed Tanzania's Mbaruku Kheri in an African Boxing Union (ABU) light-heavyweight vacant title and thus became Africa champion.
Wasajja has guided young and promising boxers at Mulago Yellow Boxing Club, some of whom have starred as professionals abroad...mainly in Europe, notably in the Scandinavian countries.In an October 8 2005 article by Moses Mugalu in the Uganda newspaper "Daily Monitor," Wasajja is said to talk about having invested in Kenya businesses (together with long-time boxing counterpart Ayub Kalule) after retirement from boxing, on until 1990. But Wasajja claimed to have eventually been duped by Kenyan business counterparts; a consequence of which he became a poverty-stricken slum dweller in Mulago in Kampala. His five children were similarly struggling, some young and not enrolled in school. Wasajja recounted his memorable amateur exhibition bout with his executive President, Idi Amin, soon after Wasajja won the Africa Championships title in the series held in Kampala in 1974. Wasajja was obligated to lose in that puppet bout. In the "Monitor" interviews, Wasajja is described as weakly, frail, shaky, and occasionally stammering," but that both his memory and speech are quite focused and clear; and he maintains his pride and humor.
In the Uganda newspaper, "Bukedde," dated July 28 2008, an ailing bedridden Wasajja mentions to Ibrahim Katongole that it is his children Rehemah Namuddu, Nakayiwa and Salif Abdul who tend to him. According to a former national boxer, Charles Lubulwa, some of Wasajja's sufferings stemmed from disconnecting himself from the boxing bodies and persons that had employed him and supported him during his boxing career abroad. They had, largely, lost contact with him. As regards the memorable fight with Michael Spinks in which he lost in 1982, Wasajja strongly suspects that food given to him prior to the fight (in Atlantic City, New Jersey) was tainted and consequently weakened and disabled him: he claimed that foul play was involved in his losing the fight. This was Wasajja's most memorable and most prestigious fight. And who knew? Wasajja fought with the two Spinks brothers who became world heavyweight champions! One of the brothers beat Muhammad Ali, and the other was beaten by Mike Tyson, among other things!
Also, notably, Wasajja fought during an era regarded as a golden one for light-heavyweights. These included Michael Spinks, Dwight Mohammed Qawi (formerly Dwight Braxton), Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (formerly Eddie Gregory), Marvin Johnson, and Mathew Saad Muhammad (formerly Mathew Franklin, and born Maxwell Antonio Loach).Wasajja was a notable amateur Uganda boxing champion, but his wins were not as many or as striking as those of his counterparts such as Ayub Kalule and James Odwori. In the professional ranks he rose to prominent heights, but he did not win that coveted world title. Wasajja's fame is intertwined with his being a mysterious Ugandan champion, one who had shots at both world title and the Africa professional title but came short of winning. Wasajja, Uganda's mysterious champion became outstanding as one of Uganda's pioneering professional boxers, one of those who had the audacity to challenge some of the best boxers on the globe.
Jonathan Musere
In the early 1970's, Wasajja was under the tutelage of Uganda's legendary and most famous coach Peter Grace Sseruwagi (Seruwagi) and national trainer Kesi Odongo (who at the 1962 Commonwealth Games held in Perth in Australia, won a a silver medal in the lightweight divison). As a light-welterweight, Sseruwagi represented Uganda at the 1960 Olympic Games held in Rome but was eliminated outside medal contention. Long-time Uganda sports official and ex-Uganda army commander Francis (Frank) Nyangweso, a light-middleweight contender at that time, was also eliminated in the earlier bouts at the same Games.
Wasajja's first distinguished international accomplishment came in the African Amateur Championships held in his native Uganda, in Kampala in November 1974. Wasajja won gold in the middleweight division. Gold medal wins by fellow countrymen James Odwori (Oduori), Ayub Kalule, Vitalis Bbege, Mohamed Muruli; together with silver medal wins by Ali Rojo and Jacob Odongo, further established two-time (1970 and 1974) Commonwealth boxing overall champion Uganda as international ring master. Earlier on in January 1974 at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, Wasajja, as Uganda's middleweight, was in the quarter finals knocked out in the first round by Les Rackley of New Zealand. And at the World Boxing Championships held in August 1974, Wasajja was outpointed in the quarter-finals by Dragomir Vujkovic of Yugoslavia.
An upcoming major outing for the glorious Ugandans would have been at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal in Canada. Many African countries, including Uganda, boycotted these Games. Notable Ugandan boxers such as Wasajja, Ayub Kalule, and Cornelius Bbosa (Boza-Edwards), would henceforth move into the growing field of professional boxing. These were the seeds of the 1980's golden era of Uganda boxing during which Ugandans, notably Ayub Kalule, Cornelius Boza-Edwards, and John "the Beast" Mugabi became professional world champions.
Of note is that a tune up for the 1976 Olympic Games included the international Pre-Olympic Boxing Tournament held in Montreal from November 27 to December 1, 1975. Uganda was represented by Wasajja (middleweight), hard punching and dreaded knockout specialist and Africa Champion Vitalis Bbege (welterweight), and Jacob Odonga (light-heavyweight). Only Wasajja emerged winner, while his counterparts were defeated in their finals. In the quarter-finals, Wasajja thouroughly outpointed Pietro Contarini of Canada. This was followed by Wasajja beating Jacobus Schmidt of Holland on points. The finals involved Wasajja beating Bryan Gibson of Canada by 4:1. Vitalis Bbege was also scheduled to fight for Uganda at the upcoming but aborted Olympics. Bbege soon moved to West Germany (FDR) where he boxed as a club amateur and even represented Germany at a dual friendly with the United States. He is well settled in Germany with family and he is a fitness and boxing trainer in Flensburg.
Wasajja fought in 28 official fights as a professional boxer. These fights of Wasajja took place from March 1977 to March 1983, and Wasajja became a top-ten world contender as a light-heavyweight and cruiserweight from the late 1970's to the mid-1980's. Aside from his last three fights, his bouts essentially took place in Denmark and Norway. Of his only professional wins and one draw (25 bouts), 76% of them went the distance, Wasajja registering 24% as knocks-outs of his opponents. Wasajja stood out as a southpaw, a mostly agile, fast, and stamina endowed puncher who would endure all the rounds other than deliver as a power knockout pugilist.On September 9, 1978 in Copenhagen, Wasajja technically knocked out legendary former world light-heavyweight Bob (Robert Lloyd) Foster with a retirement in the 5th round. The lanky 6'3" tall Foster, considered one of the world's all-time (light-heavyweights) greats had over the years been in many vicious battles with notable fighters, including epic heavyweights like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Ernie Terrel. He is regarded as the best boxer to have hailed from the USA state of New Mexico. Foster achieved mixed results when fighting the heavyweight boxers. Foster had also retired several times and made comebacks. When Foster battled Wasajja , he was aged 40 and undoubtedly way past his prime. After one more fight thereafter (a rematch with Bob Hazelton in which Foster was knocked), Foster would retire for the last time. Wasajja was only 25 at that time. Foster lay his gloves down, ending with a marvelous 56 wins (46 by knockout) and 8 losses.
From his professional debut in March 1977 until February 13, 1982, Wasajja achieved a 100% winning streak. It was then that he battled legendary Michael Spinks (later to become World Heavyweight Champion) for the light-heavyweight crown, in the New Jersey Atlantic City in the USA. Wasajja's crossing the Atlantic for a chance at the belt, spelled his demise. Prior to the fight with Spinks, Wasajja, regarded as a mystery man (whose names were difficult to spell) by the American fans and writers became the number one ranked contender for the WBA light-heavyweight crown. Previously, in 1980, Wasajja had become the 3rd-ranked WBA contender.Subsequently, Wasajja was knocked out by Spinks in the sixth round, and therefore failed to capture the World Boxing Association (WBA) title.
In July of the same year, Wasajja lost his next bout (which went the distance) to Tony Mundine in France, and thereafter in Lusaka (Zambia), Wasajja was knocked out by Zambian Lottie Mwale in only three rounds, and thus failing to capture the British Commonwealth Light-heavyweight title. At age 29 Wasajja had fought his last professional fight. Undoubtedly, the last three were bouts were Wasajja's toughest and most significant; they were against game opponents. Sadly, it was in the three that Wasajja succumbed. These three significantly injured and exposed Wasajja's weaknesses. Nevertheless, Wasajja established himself as one of the greatest Uganda boxers, and significantly as one of the greatest among the pioneering Uganda professional boxers.
Of note, Lottie Mwale, who was the same age as Wasajja, boxed professionally until 1994; he stands out as one of the greatest of African boxers. He participated in 53 professional bouts won most of them by knockout and was also an African Boxing Union (ABU) champion. The greatest Zambian boxer succumbed in 2005, at age 53, to Parkinsonism which is the same affliction that legendary Muhammad Ali endures. Zambians, with their love for boxing, apparently harbor an appreciably enduring memory of Mustapha Wasajja. And Zambians, have for decades been traditional boxing rivals of Ugandans. Charles Chisamba, the Zambian light-heavyweight champion, carries the nickname, "Wasajja" ("Wasaja"). On January 24, 2009 in Lusaka, Chisamba outpointed Tanzania's Mbaruku Kheri in an African Boxing Union (ABU) light-heavyweight vacant title and thus became Africa champion.
Wasajja has guided young and promising boxers at Mulago Yellow Boxing Club, some of whom have starred as professionals abroad...mainly in Europe, notably in the Scandinavian countries.In an October 8 2005 article by Moses Mugalu in the Uganda newspaper "Daily Monitor," Wasajja is said to talk about having invested in Kenya businesses (together with long-time boxing counterpart Ayub Kalule) after retirement from boxing, on until 1990. But Wasajja claimed to have eventually been duped by Kenyan business counterparts; a consequence of which he became a poverty-stricken slum dweller in Mulago in Kampala. His five children were similarly struggling, some young and not enrolled in school. Wasajja recounted his memorable amateur exhibition bout with his executive President, Idi Amin, soon after Wasajja won the Africa Championships title in the series held in Kampala in 1974. Wasajja was obligated to lose in that puppet bout. In the "Monitor" interviews, Wasajja is described as weakly, frail, shaky, and occasionally stammering," but that both his memory and speech are quite focused and clear; and he maintains his pride and humor.
In the Uganda newspaper, "Bukedde," dated July 28 2008, an ailing bedridden Wasajja mentions to Ibrahim Katongole that it is his children Rehemah Namuddu, Nakayiwa and Salif Abdul who tend to him. According to a former national boxer, Charles Lubulwa, some of Wasajja's sufferings stemmed from disconnecting himself from the boxing bodies and persons that had employed him and supported him during his boxing career abroad. They had, largely, lost contact with him. As regards the memorable fight with Michael Spinks in which he lost in 1982, Wasajja strongly suspects that food given to him prior to the fight (in Atlantic City, New Jersey) was tainted and consequently weakened and disabled him: he claimed that foul play was involved in his losing the fight. This was Wasajja's most memorable and most prestigious fight. And who knew? Wasajja fought with the two Spinks brothers who became world heavyweight champions! One of the brothers beat Muhammad Ali, and the other was beaten by Mike Tyson, among other things!
Also, notably, Wasajja fought during an era regarded as a golden one for light-heavyweights. These included Michael Spinks, Dwight Mohammed Qawi (formerly Dwight Braxton), Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (formerly Eddie Gregory), Marvin Johnson, and Mathew Saad Muhammad (formerly Mathew Franklin, and born Maxwell Antonio Loach).Wasajja was a notable amateur Uganda boxing champion, but his wins were not as many or as striking as those of his counterparts such as Ayub Kalule and James Odwori. In the professional ranks he rose to prominent heights, but he did not win that coveted world title. Wasajja's fame is intertwined with his being a mysterious Ugandan champion, one who had shots at both world title and the Africa professional title but came short of winning. Wasajja, Uganda's mysterious champion became outstanding as one of Uganda's pioneering professional boxers, one of those who had the audacity to challenge some of the best boxers on the globe.
Jonathan Musere
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