Kassim Ouma


Kassim Ouma is a Ugandan professional boxer. He held the IBF junior middleweight title from 2004 to 2005, and has challenged twice for a world middleweight title in 2006 and 2011.

Early life

Born into poverty, at the age of six he was kidnapped and forced to join the National Resistance Army and consequently did not see his family for five years. Ouma is the 7th of 13 children, which include 7 brothers and 5 sisters. Only 4 brothers are still alive.

Amateur career

Upon leaving the army, Ouma started boxing and amassed an amateur record of 62 wins and 3 losses. He made the Ugandan national boxing team and was selected to fight at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, but did not attend due to financial difficulties.

Professional career

On a Ugandan national amateur team trip to the United States, Ouma decided to stay to undertake a career as a professional boxer to support his family in Uganda. Ouma later won the International Boxing Federation Junior Middleweight world title.
Ouma is a former champion and top-level contender in the Light Middleweight division. He has quality wins against Jason Papillion, Juan Carlos Candelo, and Verno Phillips, his second win against whom earned him the IBF Light Middleweight title. Ouma successfully defended his championship with a twelve-round unanimous decision against Kofi Jantuah of Ghana. Ouma later lost this title in a unanimous decision defeat against Roman Karmazin, a bout in which Ouma was put to the canvas twice. It was only the second defeat of his career.
Since the Karmazin bout, Ouma has remained active in the Light Middleweight division, earning three wins, two by knockout. On May 6, 2006 Ouma defeated Marco Antonio Rubio by split decision despite being knocked down in the first round.
Ouma returned to the ring with an impressive win over undefeated fellow southpaw Sechew Powell August 5, 2006. Powell is from Brooklyn, NY and the fight took place at the Theatre of Madison Square Garden. The official scorecards were 90-100, 93-97, and 94-96 all in favor of Kassim Ouma by unanimous decision.
Ouma lost the middleweight title shot against Jermain Taylor on Dec. 9, 2006. Taylor's power and well-timed clenches kept Ouma from throwing as many punches as he usually does. Despite absorbing a large number of extremely hard shots, Ouma did not go down. The fight went the full 12 rounds, and Ouma lost by unanimous decision. The judges scored the fight 118-110, 117-111 and 115-113 for Taylor who was at home in Little Rock, Arkansas.
After the Taylor fight Ouma lost back to back close decisions to Saul Roman in October 2007 and Cornelius Bundrage in March 2008.
On September 25, 2010, Ouma stopped Joey Gilbert in the 6th round of their 10-round bout for the vacant NABA middleweight title at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada.

Personal life

While in Uganda he was never shot despite being in the army. However, after having moved to America he was shot twice in Florida in December 2002. According to Ouma, his father was beaten to death by the Ugandan army in retaliation for his leaving of the country. A documentary entitled Kassim the Dream was made in 2008. It was an official selection at several film festivals.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
42Loss29–11–1 Ilias EssaoudiUD83 Dec 2017Hamburg, Germany
41Loss29–10–1 Kamil SzeremetaUD1020 Aug 2016Amfiteatr, Misdroy, Poland
40Win29–9–1 Adam KatumwaTKO6 22 Apr 2016Okapi Hotel Kigali, Rwanda
39Loss28–9–1 Igor SelivanovUD829 Nov 2015Club A2, Saint Petersburg, Russia
38Win28–8–1 Rahman Mustafa YusubovUD611 Dec 2013EconoLodge, Allentown, Pennsylvania, US
37Loss27–8–1 Gennady GolovkinTKO10, 1:5717 Jun 2011Roberto Durán Arena, Panama City, PanamaFor WBA middleweight title
36Win27–7–1 Joey GilbertTKO6, 0:5925 Sep 2010Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, Nevada, USWon vacant WBA–NABA middleweight title
35Loss26–7–1 Vanes MartirosyanUD1016 Jan 2010The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, USFor WBO–NABO and NABF light middleweight titles
34Loss26–6–1 Gabriel RosadoSD1024 Apr 2009Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, US
33Win26–5–1 Martinus ClayTKO6, 1:384 Oct 200832nd Street Armory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
32Loss25–5–1 Cornelius BundrageUD1028 Mar 2008Seneca Allegany Casino, Salamanca, New York, US
31Loss25–4–1 Saúl RománSD102 Nov 2007Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, Cabazon, California, US
30Loss25–3–1 Jermain TaylorUD129 Dec 2006Alltel Arena, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USFor WBC, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles
29Win25–2–1 Sechew PowellUD105 Aug 2006Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, US
28Win24–2–1 Marco Antonio RubioSD126 May 2006MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, USRetained WBO–NABO light middleweight title
27Win23–2–1 Francisco Antonio MoraTKO8, 2:3427 Jan 2006Desert Diamond Casino, Tucson, Arizona, USWon vacant WBO–NABO light middleweight title
26Win22–2–1 Alfredo CuevasRTD4, 3:0013 Oct 2005Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
25Loss21–2–1 Roman KarmazinUD1214 Jul 2005The Orleans, Paradise, Nevada, USLost IBF light middleweight title
24Win21–1–1 Kofi JantuahUD1229 Jan 2005Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USRetained IBF light middleweight title
23Win20–1–1 Verno PhillipsUD122 Oct 2004Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, USWon IBF light middleweight title
22Win19–1–1 Juan Carlos CandeloTKO10, 0:153 Jan 2004Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, US
21Win18–1–1 Carlos BojorquezTKO8, 0:3522 Aug 2003Silver Star Hotel & Casino, Choctaw, Mississippi, US
20Win17–1–1 Ángel Hernández1230 May 2003Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, USWon vacant USBA light middleweight title
1916–1–1 Darrell WoodsTKO11, 0:254 Oct 2002Dover Downs, Dover, Delaware, USUSBA light middleweight title at stake;
Originally a TKO win for Ouma, later ruled an NC after he failed a drug test
18Win16–1–1Jason PapillionRTD8, 3:0010 May 2002Dover Downs, Dover, Delaware, USWon vacant USBA light middleweight title
17Win15–1–1Michael LermaUD1015 Feb 2002Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
16Win14–1–1Pedro OrtegaRTD4, 3:0013 Dec 2001Mohegan Sun Arena, Montville, Connecticut, US
15Win13–1–1Verno PhillipsUD1029 Jun 2001Magic Casino, Hankinson, North Dakota, US
14Win12–1–1Tony MarshallUD1029 Jun 2001Grand Casino, Gulfport, Mississippi, US
13Draw11–1–1James Coker2, 1:4626 Apr 2001Hilton Anatole, Dallas, Texas, USFor vacant WBC Continental Americas light middleweight title;
TD after Coker was cut from an accidental head clash
12Win11–1Quvonchbek Toygonbayev613 Oct 2000Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, US
11Win10–1Alex Bunema4, 3:004 May 2000Dallas, Texas, US
10Loss9–1Agustin SilvaTKO1 20 Nov 1999Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, Miami, Florida, US
9Win9–0Angel VillegasTKO8 18 Jun 1999Robert and Mary Montgomery Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, Florida, US
8Win8–0Emiliano Valdez630 Jan 1999Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, Miami, Florida, US
7Win7–0Victor RamosTKO5, 2:5015 Jan 1999Order Sons of Italy, Lake Worth, Florida, USWon vacant Florida light middleweight title
6Win6–0Jerry SmithTKO3, 2:3720 Nov 1998Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, US
5Win5–0Rodney WestonKO1, 2:547 Nov 1998Order Sons of Italy, Lake Worth, Florida, US
4Win4–0Renan ReyesKO1, 1:4416 Oct 1998War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
3Win3–0Joseph Ragusa1, 0:2712 Sep 1998Order Sons of Italy, Lake Worth, Florida, US
2Win2–0Alton MadisonTKO3, 2:1927 Jul 1998Order Sons of Italy, Lake Worth, Florida, US
1Win1–0Napoleon Middlebrooks1, 1:2010 Jul 1998War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US