A boxer’s tale

Wednesday, April 9, 2008 | 2:07 a.m.

Joseph Kiwanuka left Uganda 15 years ago, set on pursuing a career as a professional boxer. He had a one-way ticket to the United States, and he made a name for himself. By the late 1990s, he had a championship belt and was a contender for the world super middleweight title.

Kiwanuka was a hero in Uganda, a member of the nation’s 1996 Olympic team, whose fights occasionally were televised. He was beaten only once in his first 28 professional fights, and then his fortunes changed. He lost eight of his last 10 fights.

Like many former professional boxers, he fell on hard times after his career ended, in 2004. He learned he had serious eye injuries “traumatic cataracts” and needed surgery on both eyes.

Kiwanuka had no money to pay for the surgeries, and last year he ended up homeless, occasionally sleeping on a gym floor. He wanted to go home.

Jeff Haney, who has chronicled Kiwanuka’s story in the Las Vegas Sun, reported Tuesday that Kiwanuka’s fortunes changed when he was befriended by Frank Slaughter, a volunteer assistant boxing coach at UNLV. Slaughter saw a boxer who had been chewed up by the sport.

“I think he got used,” Slaughter said. “As he didn’t generate money anymore, everybody took off and basically left him on the street.”

Slaughter went out of his way to help him. Several anonymous benefactors stepped up, helping Kiwanuka find a place to live and raising money for the surgeries, which were successful. Last week Slaughter put Kiwanuka on a plane back to Uganda. Kiwanuka was greeted by a crowd at the airport.

This is a rare story in a sport filled with tragic tales of destitute former champions. Slaughter should be commended, but he simply says he believes boxing has “an obligation to help those who have contributed to the sport.” Boxing would be much better if it followed his example.