Onyango, Kasujja to light up 'Umeme Night, Hakuna Mchezo' boxing showdown

After his debut at the World Boxing Council (WBC) Grand Prix last month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Kenya's heavyweight sensation Denzel Onyango is set for a magnificent return to the ring at home at the Charter Hall in Nairobi on May 24, 2025.

Onyango is hopeful to display the tactics he acquired in his prestigious outing in Riyadh where he bravely challenged Alija Mesic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a battle that was halted in the opening round in favour of the Bosnian.

Onyango is training at the Pal Pal Gym in Muthurwa ahead of the Charter Hall's Battle Royale dubbed 'Umeme Night, Hakuna Mchezo' promoted by Ugandan and US based promoter Stephan Ssembuya of 12 Sports Rounds Promotions.

About 22 pugilists from Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and Sweden will slug it off in the Nairobi's non title showpieces that will also include two female fight cards pitting Ugandan and Kenyan fighters.

"We are working on the various tactics that will enable us to carry the night. We will also use this fight to warm up for the second phase of the WBC Grand Prix set for Riyadh in August. We are also trying to shift our weight from heavy to either light heavy or super middle ahead of the WBC Grand Prix," Onyango's tactician Julius Odhiambo told Standard Sports on  Monday.

Uganda's Henry Kasujja is already excited ahead of his 10 round welter weight duel against Charles Misanjo of Malawi that is expected to light up Charter Hall on the night.

"I'm warning Misanjo to come ready to be punished. He should be ready to feel the pain. I'm going to beat him so hard he won't remember his name. If he comes boxing, I'll punch him. If he comes punching, I'll box him. He will have nowhere to hide. I will give him malaria time in the ring," said Kasujja who is currently ranked fourth in Africa and 81st in the globe by the World Boxing Association.

Owen Kibira, who turned pro last month, is also ready to make Uganda proud in his professional debut where he will be up against a yet to be named opponent in the six round super welterweight fight.

"I'm already a champion (amateur category), and I'm ready to take this to the proffessional ranks. I want to tell my yet to be named rival that I'm not a human opponent but a matrix on the way and I won't disappoint the crowd. I promise the audience that they will enjoy the show at the Charter Hall," the 19-year-old Africa Games bronze medalist said.

As an amateur, Kibira had over 50 fights for Uganda, losing only two. He represented the Pearl of Africa nation in the 2022 Africa Boxing Championship in Maputo and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, making it to the quarter-finals in the two events.

"I'm glad to join the paid ranks. I see a bright future. My ultimate dream is to be a pound for pound boxer in the globe, and to also be a proud WBC belt holder," Kibira said.

Abdul 'Break Break' Jengo of Uganda has also sent a stern warning to his Tanzanian opponent Hamisi Mzee who he will take on in an eight round light heavyweight fight.

Just like Kibira, Jengo is also making his debut in the pro ranks where he has a lofty dream of being a global winner.

"I want to warn Mzee that I'm going to break him into pieces," Jengo said.

Joshua  Sewankambo, the 12 Sports Rounds Promotions Legal Officer, said they relocated from Uganda to Kenya in order to add intensity into the sport across East Africa.

"We are here. We have come to stay. We have come to boost the Kenyan economy. We are here to make sure boxing is made great again in East Africa. We are here to take the sport to greater heights. We are here to produce quality and finest boxers in the region," said Sewankambo who represented Ssembuya at the Monday media press conference held in Nairobi.

He further added:"To ensure we promote Kenya's sports tourism economy, two buses full of spectators will depart from Uganda for the boxing extravaganza at the Charter Hall."

The bouts will be sanctioned by Kenya Proffesional Boxing Commission whose President Reuben Ndolo said that the new promotion body from Uganda is welcomed with two hands on Kenyan soil.

"I salute our brothers from Uganda for making a bold decision to set camp in Kenya. We welcome them. We will give them all the necessary support. The bold step made by the 12 Sports Rounds Promotions only shows the East African spirit in the sport," Ndolo said.