Court ruling to determine future of professional boxing governance in Uganda

The future of professional boxing in Uganda hangs in the balance as the High Court in Kampala prepares to deliver a crucial ruling on August 31. This decision stems from an application by the Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC), seeking an injunction against the National Council of Sports (NCS) and the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF).

The UPBC is challenging the NCS’s July 20 decision to recognize the UBF, led by Moses Muhangi, as the sole governing body for all boxing disciplines under the new National Sports Act 2023. The UPBC argues this move contravenes the law and has effectively halted professional boxing events since 2025, impacting boxers’ livelihoods.

During a court session, UPBC’s lawyer Peter Lubulwa accused the UBF and NCS of misusing the law to undermine professional boxing. He urged the court to grant UPBC an administrative order allowing it to continue organizing events, as it has done since 1988. UBF’s representative, Phillip Munaabi, countered that UBF underwent a thorough registration process that UPBC failed to join, and that the new law mandates a single governing body per sport.

Justice Bernard Namanya noted the UPBC’s claim of being excluded from the registration process, which under the new guidelines, prioritized pre-existing NCS-recognized bodies. The UPBC also highlighted previous resolutions from a meeting with the Minister of Sports that they claim were not respected.

The court is expected to rule on the UPBC’s application for a temporary injunction on August 31. A separate, main lawsuit challenging the UBF’s sole recognition is slated for mention on September 17. While mediation was discussed, the UPBC remains open to it if respondents engage constructively.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/sports/boxing/august-31-ruling-to-decide-fate-of-professional-boxing-governance-5556190