Uganda’s highly regarded professional boxing matchmaker, Faisal Ashinda, is at the center of a growing administrative standoff between the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) and the Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC). The dispute follows the circulation of a letter on social media indicating that UPBC had approved Ashinda and a team of Ugandan boxers to participate in a boxing event in Rwanda.

According to UBF, the approval letter was issued illegally, with the Federation citing the new National Sports Act, which it says grants UBF—rather than UPBC—exclusive authority over the regulation of boxing activities in Uganda. Consequently, UBF issued a formal summons requiring Ashinda to appear before its Disciplinary Committee to explain his involvement.

However, Ashinda, in a widely shared audio recording, dismissed the summons and stated that he has no obligation to appear before UBF.

“I am a freelance matchmaker. I can work anywhere. No one has a right to stop or sanction me from doing my business,” Ashinda insisted.

In response, UBF official Abdu Tebazalwa warned that failure to comply could lead to Ashinda being banned from participating in any boxing-related activities in Uganda.

Who Is Faisal Ashinda?

Faisal Ashinda has earned a strong reputation in African professional boxing. Widely respected for his strategic matchmaking abilities, he has been behind major bouts across the continent and has been hired by various promotional companies to assemble competitive fight cards.

He previously served as the official matchmaker for 12 Rounds Sports Promotion, one of Uganda’s notable boxing promotion outfits, before parting ways with the company. As of this report, Ashinda has 16 events recorded on BoxRec, showcasing his growing footprint in professional boxing.

He has helped match some of Uganda and Africa’s rising boxing talents, including:

• Kasujja Henry
• Farahati Manirola
• Shadir Musa
• Tusingwire Joshua
• Kambagire Ivan
• …and several other notable prospects.

What Does a Professional Boxing Matchmaker Do?

A matchmaker plays one of the most important roles in combat sports. His responsibilities include:

• Identifying suitable opponents for boxers based on their experience, weight class, records, and career stage.
• Negotiating terms with managers, coaches, promoters, and sanctioning bodies.
• Ensuring matches are balanced, competitive, and safe.
• Helping promoters build attractive fight cards that can draw audiences, sponsors, and media coverage.

Matchmakers are crucial in maintaining the credibility of a boxing event and the career progression of fighters.

A Wider Issue: Regulatory Confusion in Ugandan Boxing

This dispute highlights a long-standing governance issue in Ugandan boxing—the overlap of authority claims between UBF and UPBC. Industry observers say that without a unified and clear regulatory structure, Uganda risks stalling the growth of its promising professional boxing scene.

Writer’s Perspective

In my view, while regulatory compliance is critical for the integrity of any sport, disputes of this nature should be handled with dialogue, clarity, and reform-minded cooperation. Uganda’s boxing talent pipeline has grown significantly in recent years, and personalities like Faisal Ashinda have contributed meaningfully to that progress.

A pathway that supports professional freedom while upholding the legal framework is essential. Therefore, rather than escalate disciplinary threats, the parties involved could use this moment to:

• Re-evaluate communication channels between boxing bodies,
• Define the legal mandate of each entity under the new Sports Act,
• And create a joint system that serves boxers, promoters, and matchmakers cohesively.

Ugandan boxing stands at a promising moment. A united regulatory environment—not administrative conflict—will determine whether the sport continues its upward trajectory on the African and global stage.