BOXING! Daku Launches Malingumu Events Amsterdam In Arua City
Daku in a group photo with journalists, relatives and friends shortly after the launch of Malingumu Events Amsterdam in Oluko on Sunday Photo Credit_Andrew Cohen Amvesi
ARUA. Farouk Malingumu Daku, a Ugandan professional boxer based in the Netherlands, has officially launched Malingumu Events Amsterdam, a company that will promote professional boxing in the West Nile sub-region.
The boxing company was launched at the home village of the four-time boxing champion in Oluko, Ayivu East Division in Arua city on Sunday, January 19, 2025.
Speaking during the launch, Daku who doubles as the founder of Malingumu Events Amsterdam, said there has been no professional boxing in Arua, a reason he has stepped in to up the game in the region.
“My real target of being in Arua now is, I want to announce professional boxing and very soon I will make sure that we have our own stuff to make the sport shine here. I want to contact the Uganda Professional Boxing in Kampala to give us one official here in Arua who will give instructions to our own officials in Arua, who will attend that course. I will pay the official for that job,” Daku promised.
“People who will be interested in that course will join, I will make sure they don’t pay anything because I will clear all the bills myself,” Daku emphasized.
He noted that the level of boxing has been so low in Arua yet Arua is now a city since boxing thrives in cities.
Daku remained optimistic that the journey he has started to professionalize boxing in West Nile will not fail because he understands the game very well.
“For me, I know it will work because I have the idea about professional boxing. I have been in the sport, I started it in Africa; here in Uganda, Kampala and I went to Europe with 12 professional fights. I’m the first Uganda boxer to fight for the World title in Europe because when I left Africa, I went with 12 fights and immediately, I was given the International Boxing Organization (IBO) Youth World title when I came to Holland,” Daku said.
“So, when we start professional boxing here in Arua, we will build the boys. One, they are going to earn money from the sport, nobody will enter the ring without a fight contract. Things to do with the boxing ring and other requirements, please leave them to me!” said Daku, who has on several occasions, supported Arua city boxing club and other clubs in the West Nile sub-region.
In his remarks, Moses Bakole Maandebo, the chairman of Katrini Boxing Club in Terego district, said they have come to show their support and solidarity with Daku as he launches his company to promote professional boxing in West Nile.
“It is our cry that we need to have as many boxing clubs in West Nile as possible. We look at West Nile as a potential for sports and for talent. We would like that to be shining in the whole of Uganda and we want to showcase this to the whole world that West Nile is known for boxing talent, not for just a few years but since long ago. So, this is what we want to see,” Maandebo said.
He observed that as Katrini boxing club, they want to appreciate Daku for the support he has been rendering for them.
“We value that he gives us time, that he comes to inspire the young people in our club. Many of the people that we are targeting in the Katrini boxing club are the young people; girls of ten years, 15 years, 13, 16 years and so on. After Daku’s visit on Saturday, they were all fired up (inspired) and that is what we want to appreciate,” Maandebo said.
Hajj Musa Anguyo, a sports lover and also the Ayivu East County 2026 Parliamentary Aspirant, commended Daku for coming up with the brilliant idea of introducing professional boxing in the region.
Anguyo said the region has too many idle but talented youths who can become professional boxers when properly mobilized.
He encouraged Daku to continue with the spirit of professionalizing boxing which he said is a sure way of marketing the region in other parts of the world.
Daku commenced the launch of Malingumu Events Amsterdam with a visit to his late mother’s grave in Tanganyika ward, Arua Central Division in honor of her memory.
He later visited the parents who brought him up before heading with a team of journalists and friends to Oluko water falls where he posed with his belts for a photo moment at the beautiful scenery of the falls.
The day was then summed up with a goat roasting party at the Malimungu Events Amsterdam main office in Oluko to the excitement of Daku’s guests.