By BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI

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Ugandan kick-boxing star Moses Golola has been immortalised. The film Life of a Champion premiered at Century Cinemax, Acacia Mall in Kampala on November 1.

Golola, who is also famous for his humorous one-liners, is credited with popularising kick-boxing in Uganda, where he has a huge fan base.

Starring Golola, the story follows him from the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi in southwestern Uganda as he prepares to fight against four challengers. It would be his last chance to prove to the world that he can defeat his key opponents.

Preparing himself mentally, Golola fasts, prays and trains for 90 days. Then midway through his training, a beautiful, young but heartbroken Rwandan refugee woman comes looking for him with a request to help her take revenge.

Golola teaches her that there is another way out, one that will dramatically change her, and his, outlook on life’s challenges.

The film is acted in Luganda and English, and revolves around the Golola Talent Academy that he set up in Kawempe suburb in Kampala, where he trains young kick-boxers.

Life of a Champion is an intricate mix of humour, action and spiritual depth. It was produced by Innocent Kawooya and co-directed by IGG Nabwana, Richard Nolton Ssekiwunga and George William Ssevubya.

The action-packed movie is available worldwide via Vimeo and YOTV Channels.

Golola was a lead actor in another Ugandan film Christmas in Kampala.

He started kick-boxing in the Amateur Club in Kampala, and later joined the professional ranks in Tanzania.

Golola kicked off his professional career in 2005 when he lost to Tanzania’s Joseph Kaseba in a bout that was fought in Zanzibar.

He is the current kick-boxing champion of East and Central Africa.

Golola has beaten fighters like Titus Tugume (Uganda), and South Sudanese Abdul Quadir Rahim, whom he knocked out at Hotel Africana to lift the African Middleweight kick-boxing belt on June 30, 2011.

The Hungarian Andras Nagy beat Golola in fight held at Hotel Africana in Kampala in December 2011. However, the title was controversially handed to Golola.

Umar Semata is another famous Ugandan kick-boxer. Fans of the two kick-boxers wanted to show who the best was.

The matter was settled on October 13, 2018, when the two fighters squared off in the ring in the National Championship title fight at Freedom City Shopping Mall in Kampala. Semata ended Golola’s dominance with a victory by anonymous decision on the night.

Golola defeated Semata by a technical knockout in their hyped rematch fight that took place at Freedom City Mall on August 3, 2019.

Golola has appeared in a number of popular brand advertisements and billboards. His one-liner jokes and quotes include that he is “the only man with a PhD in pain” and that when he was born, he left his mum in the labour ward and went to announce the news to his father.