Tanzania’s Sweet Science Symphony of Knockouts and Knock-ins

GREETINGS my fellow fans of the sweet science and fanatics of giggles! Ops! Sorry… For those perhaps less familiar, allow me to elucidate: ‘Sweet Science’ refers to none other than the noble sport of boxing.

As chronicled in the annals of history, this moniker was coined by one British sportswriter called Pierce Egan in the year 1813.

He encapsulated the strategic essence of boxing, emphasising the necessity for pugilists to approach their craft with a calculated and scientific mindset.

So, today, let us immerse ourselves in the vibrant world of Tanzania’s own sweet science with cybernetic gloves and unbridled enthusiasm. Yes, we are talking about boxing – a realm where melancholy dances with amusement, and where each jab narrates a unique tale.

And this is because I recently stumbled upon the Facebook page of Tanzania’s boxing maestro, Emmanuel Mlundwa. His page is a journey through black-and-white photos that catapults you straight into the golden era of Tanzanian amateur boxing.

Consider it a treasure trove of throwback punches and timeless conviviality. Just visit Mlundwa’s FB page and take a moment to bask in the glory days of Tanzanian boxing – you will understand exactly what I mean.

Among many others on that page, there is this February 1977 photo of Tanzania’s amateur boxing squad in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In the photo are Titus Simba, the unbeaten Light Heavyweight champion of that time and Lucas Msomba, undefeated Light Welterweight champ.

Emmanuel Mlundwa himself, Tanzania’s 1978 All African Games Boxing Flyweight Silver medallist and Olympiad, is also there. So are featherweight super star Habibu Kinyogoli, Light Flyweight Rashid Mohamed and Aloyce Nyuti who complete the boxer’s list.

Emmanuel Mlundwa

Coach William Majwala, the sage whose boxing wisdom echoed through the ages, is there too. As is Salim Seif Mkamba, Chairman of the Tanzania Amateur Boxing Association (TABA), boxing referee, and RTD presenter, all rolled into one.

And finally, there is Narcis Tarimo, the legendary TABA Secretary, who also doubled as an AIBA referee and judge – talk of multitasking with a touch of authority! The photo carries fond memories for me, having had the fortune of seeing all of them in action, with some becoming my personal friends.

I wondered where the TABA is today, because with Mkamba and Tarimo at the helm, amateur boxing was then one of the most popular sports.

On that note, let us fast forward to the present, where amateur boxing finds itself relegated to the back seat while professional boxing hogs the spotlight. Let us face it…. The oncethriving grassroots charm of boxing has faded away, leaving Tanzania longing for talented pugilists like a desert craves rain.

Absolutely! These days, amateur boxing often finds itself playing second fiddle to its professional counterpart. Many youths today hold the belief that a professional boxer does not need to tread the long and winding path of the amateur circuit.

“What’s the point?” they ask, as they take the short cut to professionalism. Let us rewind to the past again, a time when Willy Isangula, Tanzania, and Africa’s heavyweight boxing champ, graced the ring.

The towering Isangula passed on last month and was laid to rest in Musoma, without the meriting honours for one who has done wonders for Tanzania. Just magine this: Isangula vs. Kenya’s Chris Odera, August 23, 1983, at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.

Isangula, with fists that could move mountains, unleashed a barrage of punches, leaving Odera contemplating life in the second round. The referee, sensing doom for the Kenyan, wisely stopped the fight, giving Tanzania its first-ever gold medal in the Africa Boxing Championships. But Isangula was not a one-hit wonder; he went on to snatch a bronze at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, too.

Despite his Herculean feats, the plight of Africa’s heavyweight boxing champion remained shrouded in neglect throughout his lifetime. A shadowy existence of being unseen and unheard. For eight gruelling years, he bore the weight of suffering, with the last two spent confined to a bed before finally succumbing.

Following his passing, a few statements trickled out, drenched in sympathy, regret, and just a pinch of “Oops, did we forget to support him?” Ah, classic Tanzania… Let us also spare a moment for Habibu Kinyogoli, the bantam weight silver medallist from the 1973 All-Africa Games.

His persistent plea for a proper boxing gym, a dream he has held dear for so long, has fallen on deaf ears. As age takes its toll and frustration mounts from total neglect, Kinyogoli cuts a sorry figure. Visit him imparting the basics of the sport to eager youths at his makeshift stable at Amana Social Hall in Ilala, Dar es Salaam to know what I mean.

Perhaps we are waiting for Kinyogoli to break a world record in sending telepathic messages… Why? Well, because when it comes to practical assistance, the powers that be are nowhere to be found! Fast forward to today: The Isangula and Kinyogoli sagas might well be one of the many reasons few talented boxers are interested in amateur boxing.

It is not surprising that the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) is on a wild goose chase for qualified boxers for the impending Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Poor TOC leadership of Chairman Gulam Abdallah, Vice Chairman Henry Tandau and Secretary General Filbert Bay.

It feels like they are looking for a needle in a haystack – but with more sweating, and less punching. Amidst all this, Commonwealth bronze medallist Yusuf Changarawe emerges as a lone hopeful, but he has first to battle it in Italy for the world qualifiers.

His compatriot, a fellow Club Games bronze winner, Kassim Mbundwike, has already ‘defected’ to the pro route, assenting that amateurism is no longer the pinnacle. Who needs amateur fame when you can skyrocket to stardom overnight, right?

Ask Karim Mandonga; he probably used a shooting star as a stepping stone! Yet, in this tale of woe, hope flickers with the presence of Minister Ndumbaro and Permanent Secretary Msigwa at the Culture, Art and Sports super dome. Let us hope they inject support while our fighters are still throwing punches in this mortal coil – not just when they are in the great boxing ring in the sky.

To Tanzanian boxing – keep jabbing, keep hooking, and continue being the unsung hero in the ring of life. The next world champion might be just one knockout punch away! As we prepare to exit this ringside spectacle, a note arrives – a distress call from Lucas Msomba.

Yes, the same Light Welterweight champion. With one leg amputated and age taking its toll, this athlete who was once the pride of Tanzania is in dire straits. Hunched at his humble abode at Kibaha in Coast region, it is hard to believe that this dishevelled guy was once upon a time Tanzania’s star boxer.

I mean, how come a man of national stature like THE LUCAS MSOMBA be left forsaken like an old glove like this….? Yes, of course! Even boxing legends are not immune to life’s low blows.

Here is to hoping Tanzanian boxing finds its guardian angel and come to the rescue of Msomba and his likes – soon! Until next week, keep the giggles flowing, keep those punches flying, and continue shining like a Tanzaniteencrusted championship belt.