Eridadi Mukwanga was born on July 12, 1943 in Kawanda in the Jap Uganda region of Busoga, and died in January 1998 (or December 1997?). The situation and precise day of his death are largely unknown in spite of his enduring accomplishment of being Uganda’s first Olympic silver medalist.
Eridadi Mukwanga, at only age 25, was recorded as Uganda’s oldest participant at the Olympic Game titles of 1968 held in Mexico Town from mid- to late-Oct in seeking superior-altitude weather. At the Olympics Eridadi Mukwanga, a 5’3″ tall bantamweight, was in the second spherical pitted versus 5’6″ Ramiro Suárez (García) of Spain. Mukwanga quickly knocked out Suarez, late in the next round. In the up coming bout Mukwanga similarly disposed of shorter 5’0″ Romanian opponent Nicolae Gîju by knocking him out in the next spherical. Subsequent came the quarter finals, and Mukwanga convincingly conquer 20 yr-previous Roberto Cervantes of Mexico by 4-1. In the same way, in the semi-finals, Mukwanga outpointed Jang Sun-Gil of South Korea by 4-1. Even so, in the finals, against Russian Valerian Sergeyevich Sokolov, the bout was stopped late in the second round in favor of Sokolov. Nevertheless overwhelmed, Eridadi Mukwanga proudly flew back to Uganda with a silver medal hanging from his neck.
The Olympics of 1968 proved to be the peaking position in Mukwanga’s boxing career. The up coming key worldwide boxing hurdle came with the Commonwealth Game titles of the summer months of 1970, held in mid- to late-July in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mukwanga was eradicated in the extremely very first spherical of the bantamweight division, getting rid of to Joe Cooke of Canada by factors on July 18. Joe Cooke would thereafter be knocked out by Stewart Ogilvie of Scotland when the referee halted the bout in the first round. But thereafter in the semi-finals, Stewart Ogilvie was stopped in the second round with the referee halting the bout in favor of forthcoming gold-medalist Sulley Shittu of Ghana.
Ironically and disappointingly, Mukwanga was the initial Ugandan boxer to tumble in these Commonwealth Video games in which Ugandans overwhelmingly recognized on their own as Commonwealth boxing champions. The ultimate tally would include James Odwori, Mohamed Muruli, and Benson Masanda securing gold medals for Uganda and Leo Rwabwogo and Deogratius Musoke proclaiming silver medals.
Thereafter, legendary Ugandan Mukwanga pale absent from the boxing scene. And as opposed to his fellow Ugandan Olympic medalists, notably Leo Rwabwogo, John Akii-Bua, John Mugabi and Davis Kamoga, Eridadi Mukwanga just after his losses in 1970 mostly disappeared from the push and the community eye. He never ever turned experienced, and anyway did not flourish in an period (1970’s and over and above) of Africans signing up for the qualified ranks. Sometimes Mukwanga was rumored to be a boastful major alcoholic beverages drinker. Even his exact day of loss of life is not recorded. But the memory of Eridadi Mukwanga is enduring. The Mukwanga Memorial (Boxing) Cup is dedicated to his memory.