Following a recent post about a low-tech gym in Brazil, one reader responded with a link to the video below.
Within the video, you will see footage taken from the Kampala Boxing Club in Uganda. Additional photographs from the gym can be found at the following link:
Kampala Boxing Gym Photography
As you will see throughout, the Kampala Boxing Club thrives on the basics. Similar to the Brazilian gym featured before, you won’t find any state of the art equipment. What you will find however are several well trained, hard working athletes with dreams of becoming world champions.
And while such dreams may seem far fetched, such accomplishments are nothing new to this gym. Despite years of economic hardship, this small gym has continued to produce world class amateur and professional fighters. A few of the more notable names from the past include former world champions Ayub Kalule (who eventually lost his title to Sugar Ray Leonard) and Cornelius Boza Edwards. Moustapha Wassajja was another amateur standout who eventually fought for the light heavyweight title as a pro. He was unsuccessful in his attempt to dethrone world champion Michael Spinks (who eventually became heavyweight champion before losing to Mike Tyson).
As has been demonstrated many times before, equipment does not make the athlete. Fighters have long thrived on minimalistic workouts. Those who blame a lack of equipment for their own failures are missing more than equipment. The relentless quest to improve is not found inside a piece of iron. It comes from deep within and makes the most of whatever is available.
History has shown over and over again that champions can be produced with nothing but the basics. Those who suggest otherwise are grossly misinformed. A peek inside the Kampala Boxing Club is all the proof you will need.
Thank you for the history lesson. I don’t remember hearing about any of the fighters mentioned here, at least not the ones from this gym. I’ll have to go look them up and see if I can find some of their fights.
Yeah, in my opinion all the various conditioning equipments above, say, a barbell and a pullup-bar are basically there for only two reasons:
a) better suited for prevcentive/rehab work (imbalances, overuse injuries and so on), wenn used by a coach who knows something about medical anatomy
b) motivation for people with low comittment, especially non-athletes (average family members, weekend warriors etc) who just want to be lean, healty and look good
I like your mention of Ayub Kalule. A very talented and under-rated fighter. Great technical ability.
Keep posting great articles like this. Boxing is my sport, been going to Biscayne Boxing & Fitness Club
in Miami since I moved, and it was because I saw another video about Ayub Kaule. Great inspiration.
Alot of great boxers!!!