Main fighters Henry Kigongo Kasujja and Mussa Shuza (left) during the weigh-in of the ” Umeme Night, Hakuna Mchezo, ” boxing non title fight that will be held at Nairobi’s Charter Hall on Saturday, 24th May. May 23, 2025. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]
Bubbling Praxides Anyango has promised Kenyans victory in the solid nine bout card showdown dubbed ‘Umeme Night- Hakuna Mchezo’ to be staged at the Charter Hall in Nairobi tonight.
The reigning women’s Pugilistic Syndicate of Tanzania super-featherweight champion has pledged to destroy her Ugandan rival, Lydia Mukhisa in the six round energy-sapping showcase that is supported by Ugandan promoter Stephan Ssembuya of 12 Sports Rounds Promotions.
“I’m fit. I was told about this fight early enough, so I had adequate time for preparations. I trained well at the Pal Pal Gym in Nairobi leaving no stone unturned. So I have no excuse not to win this match,” Anyango told Standard Sports.
Anyango admitted she has never seen her Ugandan opponent before, but nonetheless she is very much ready to punish the visitor in the ring.
“This is my first challenge of the season, and I’m not ready to go down. I worked so well on my sparring, endurance, weight and punches, so Mukhisa should be ready for the pain,” said Anyango, who won her last fight last December in Nairobi.
Away from the women’s card, the main bout for the night pits rivals Henry Kasujja of Uganda against his Tanzanian opponent Mussa Shuza in a cutthroat eight-round welterweight duel.
Kasujja (11 wins, 4KOs, 1 Draw) declared he will be the ‘bedroom bully’ in the mash up he is hopeful to win with an emphatic victory.
“I’m ready for the game. I’m ready for the war!,” Kasujja declared.
“Tell Mussa to be ready for the pain. He is going to be punished. You know, he is the pupil and I’m the headmaster. I’m going to teach him how boxing is done,” he warned.
Kasujja said he has trained for this bout for the last two months and is not ready to lose even a dime.
“He is going to feel my weight,” stated Kasujja, who will be using the fight to step up preparations for a forthcoming title bout in Germany.
In his response, soft-spoken Shuza (5 wins, 2 KOs, 7 losses) told his Tanzanian fans to expect a huge victory in the clash.
“I have studied him (Kasujja) for a while, I know all his weak points. I’m not pledging my fans a KO, but I’m promising them that glittering trophy,” Shuza underlined.
Decorated Swedish-based Algerian fighter Adam Belalia is also lying in wait for Fredrick Okou’s (Uganda) scalp in the six round men’s middleweight fixture that is expected to be explosive.
Super confident Belalia has promised to destroy Okou with KO in either the first or the second round.
“I’m very much ready. Always ready. Still ready. He is not going beyond the second round, take this to the bank. I have seen his fights, but I can tell you, there is nothing special in them. I will kick him out of the ring as early as I can,” Belalia declared .
Kenya Proffesional Boxing Commission (KPBC) chairman Reuben Ndolo, who oversaw the sanctioning of the bouts yesterday, said it’s quite unfortunate that Uganda is not giving the sport the respect it deserves, hence the reason their commission, promoters and pugilists are flocking into Kenya to engage in and enjoy the game.
Ndolo said Kenya is doing all that it can to make the neighbors as comfortable as possible as far as the game of boxing is concerned.
Ochieng Oyugi
| May 24, 2025