Uganda came within touching distance of a historic gold medal in Kinshasa, but Emmy Abel Ebong’s dream ended in frustration after the debutant lost his heavyweight final to home favourite Pita Kabeji at the IBA African Boxing Championships.

Ebong put up a spirited fight against the experienced DR Congo captain before the referee stopped their contest in the third round at Stade des Martyrs Gymnasium, handing Kabeji the gold medal.

The decision did not go down well with the Ugandan camp, which had watched Ebong fight beyond expectations against one of the continent’s established heavyweights. There was disbelief in the red corner, but the referee’s decision stood.

Kabeji, a prominent Congolese boxer, was fighting on familiar ground and had already won continental titles in Yaounde in 2013 and Maputo in 2022. His victory secured a third African title and denied Uganda what would have been a memorable gold medal.

Despite the disappointment, Ebong walked away with silver and $10,000 in prize money, while Uganda returned home with four medals from a campaign that had threatened to fall apart even before the team reached Kinshasa.

Friends of Boxing took nine boxers to the competition, all experiencing this level of international competition for the first time. They returned with one silver and three bronze medals to finish eighth overall.

Sarah Laker Katongole claimed bronze in the lightweight category, while Ronald Nsamba and Ronald Wandera also finished third in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, respectively. Laker was Uganda’s only female boxer at the championships.

For Uganda Boxing Federation Interim Committee chairman Sam Rukundo, the medal haul was worth celebrating given the difficulties the team had faced.

The nine boxers and their two coaches arrived in the Congolese capital on October 18 after a troubled build-up characterised by questions over the team’s legitimacy, disputed preparations and limited training time.

There had been doubts from the selection trials and training camp, particularly because another Ugandan squad was heading to Nairobi for the inaugural World Boxing Africa Championships.

However, Rukundo and his allies under Friends of Boxing pushed ahead with the Kinshasa mission, determined to give their boxers an opportunity to compete.

Their efforts paid off with four medals, although Dickson Muhairwe, who worked in Ebong’s corner, was left unimpressed by the outcome of the heavyweight final.

Rukundo, a former Olympian and experienced coach, chose to focus on the positives, particularly the potential shown by a young team competing against some of Africa’s best.

Kinshasa attracted several established names, including celebrated Zambian boxer Patrick Chinyemba, popularly known as Baddo, Mauritian Merven Clair, Cape Verde’s Herisona Mouini and David Pau, Mozambique’s Reddy Gramane and the home favourite Kabeji.

The hosts dominated the championships, collecting 17 gold medals. Cameroon and Zambia managed three each, while Congo Brazzaville and Mozambique won one apiece.

Two championships, two different ambitions

Uganda’s participation in Kinshasa was part of a wider division that has split African amateur boxing into two competing camps, resulting in two continental championships being held almost simultaneously.

The disagreement stems from the battle for control of international amateur boxing between the International Boxing Association (IBA) and World Boxing.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) withdrew recognition from the IBA over longstanding concerns about governance, finances and judging. World Boxing subsequently emerged to protect boxing’s future in the Olympic programme.

In February 2025, the IOC granted World Boxing provisional recognition, paving the way for the organisation to oversee Olympic-style boxing and the qualification process for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Boxing was temporarily managed by an IOC-appointed unit at the 2024 Paris Olympics following the IBA’s loss of recognition.

World Boxing is now responsible for organising the official qualification pathway for Los Angeles 2028, with qualification expected to begin in April 2027 through world and continental competitions. Boxers will eventually be nominated through their respective National Olympic Committees.

The split has also affected African boxing administration.

Historically, the continent’s amateur boxing was managed by the African Boxing Confederation (AFBC). However, internal disagreements over which international body to support led to its collapse, with the IBA establishing a direct IBA Africa unit to manage its activities.

World Boxing, meanwhile, established World Boxing Africa, attracting influential boxing nations such as Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Algeria, which prioritise the Olympic route.

The division produced two separate African championships in October.

The inaugural World Boxing African Elite Men’s and Women’s Championships took place in Nairobi, Kenya, from October 15 to 28 at the Moi International Sports Centre Indoor Arena. The competition attracted approximately 20 countries, including Kenya, Egypt, Algeria and Angola.

The IBA African Boxing Championships were held in Kinshasa, DR Congo, from October 14 to 31, attracting 28 countries and 171 boxers.

The two competitions offered different incentives. While World Boxing provides a pathway towards Olympic qualification and the associated funding opportunities, the IBA has used substantial prize money to attract boxers.

At the IBA championships, gold medallists received $15,000, silver medallists $10,000 and bronze medallists $5,000.

That financial attraction was evident in Kinshasa, where established African champions opted for a competition that offered immediate rewards for their performances.

Therefore, Ebong’s silver medal came with $10,000, a significant reward despite the disappointment of missing out on gold, while Laker, Nsamba and Wandera walked away with $5000

With this having been the main tournament in previous years, Uganda Bombers have won these prizes before with names like Jonah Kyobe and Yusuf Nkobeza.

Ugandan featherweight boxer Jonah Kyobe won a bronze medal at the 2022 Africa Boxing Confederation Championship in Maputo, Mozambique, after defeating Cameroon’s Tchouti Mbianda 4-1 on points in the quarterfinals.

Kyobe and fellow bronze medalist Yusuf Nkobeza each earned a cash prize.

Uganda fields two teams: Bombers on one side and Friends of Boxing on the other 

The split created an unusual situation for Uganda, which had two different squads competing in the two championships at the same time.

The officially recognised national team, the Bombers, was selected by the Uganda Boxing Federation, backed by the National Council of Sports and sent to Nairobi for the World Boxing competition.

At the same time, a second Ugandan contingent, backed by Friends of Boxing, travelled to Kinshasa to compete under the IBA banner.

The arrangement exposed the divisions within Ugandan boxing, with questions raised about the legitimacy of the Kinshasa team even before its departure.

The two competitions also presented different opportunities for the boxers. While the Nairobi assignment was aligned with the Olympic dream, the Kinshasa event offered substantial financial rewards.

Uganda’s Bombers had earlier collected 13 medals at the inaugural World Boxing African Elite Men’s and Women’s Championships, finishing third overall behind hosts Kenya and Algeria on a tie-breaker.

Their haul included four gold medals won by Kassim Mulungi, Samuel Nsubuga (Lwasa), Alfred Ojok and Vanessa Nagawa, who became Uganda’s first female boxer to win gold at a competitive continental championship. They also secured one silver and eight bronze medals.

Istanbul offers another opportunity

With the Kinshasa championships behind them, Rukundo and his team can now turn their attention to the inaugural IBA President’s Cup 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.

The inaugural International Boxing Association President’s Cup begins on November 27, 2026, in Istanbul, Türkiye, with the official event period running from November 25 to December 5, 2026.

The competition, which launches the IBA Elite competition, carries a total prize fund of $3 million.

The advertised prize structure offers $100,000 to the champion, $50,000 to the silver medallist, $25,000 to bronze medallists and $5,000 for fifth place, although some initial prize tiers list lower amounts of $80,000, $40,000 and $22,000 respectively.

There is also an opportunity to earn money along the way, with boxers receiving $1,000 for each bout won, while some early victories on the road to the quarter-finals attract $500.

The prize distribution provides for 50 per cent to go to the boxer, 25 per cent to the coach and the remaining 25 per cent to the national federation.

On Uganda’s young boxers’ side, the experience in Kinshasa could prove valuable as they prepare for another opportunity to test themselves against better international opposition, with expectations of bagging some cash.