Kibira punches his way to the National Open Boxing Championship final

2024 National Open Boxing Championship Final

Saturday 27th, MTN Arena Lugogo

Light middleweight Owen ‘Matrix’ Kibira is aiming for gold at this year’s National Open Boxing Championship that climaxes this Saturday, April 27th at Lugogo.

Kibira was demoted to box at the National Open level having vacated his habitual welterweight to light middle in the UBF Boxing Champions League.

He is one of the national team boxers who have tasted the wrath of budding boxers at this year's championship in Lugogo.

Lukanga Boxing Club captain has already reached the final of the seven-day championship and vows to win nothing but a gold medal.

“As the captain of the team, I aim to win gold at this year’s national open. It is one way I will lead by example to help my troops to defend our title,” Kibira noted.

Kibira punched his way to the final having eliminated the trio of Muhamad Mayanja from Gideon Boxing Club, then Kibuli-Mutajazi Boxing Club’s Ashiraf Mutaasa before going on to down Zebra Boxing Club’s Bashir Serugo on a split decision.

The 2022 Africa Boxing Championship bronze medalist who is coached by one Hajji Juma Nsubuga has recent had a strong rivalry with COBAP Boxing Club’s welterweight Ukasha Matovu.

He now looks set to stabilize and dominate the light middleweight category which has been vacated by top guns Muzamir ‘Mr Take Over’ Ssemuddu and Isaac Zebra Ssenyange Jr who have found life to greener pastures respectively.

By Thursday, Lukanga Boxing Club was still toe to toe with COBAP Boxing Club.

The latter had turned the tables from frustrations of day one defeat and were tied on 21 points respectively followed by UPDF, KCCA, and Nagulu-based East Coast Boxing Club in that order.

Forty clubs, and 560 boxers have participated in this year’s National Open.