In all walks of life it helps to have some sort of gimmick to set you apart from your piers. Unbeaten Lightweight contender Sharif “The Lion” Bogare uses an unusual but catchy ring entrance; he enters the ring in a cage which is carried by dancers, inside Bogare is dressed as a Lion. Of course an entertaining ring entrance only takes you so far, you have to be able to actually fight once you get inside the squared circle. So far Bogare 22, has done all that he has been asked to do boasting a perfect 20-0(12) record. The Ugandan who now lives in Las Vegas is trained by well respected trainer of champions Kenny Adams who is helping bring out Bogare’s undoubted talent. Despite only being a pro for 3 years he’s already world ranked by the IBF at number 12.
Hello Sharif, welcome to 15rounds.com
Anson Wainwright – Firstly you recently beat Raymundo Beltran. How did you find that fight, what can you tell us about the win?
Sharif Bogare – That fight was a good experience for me. I did what I had to do. The first few rounds I was Boxing him very good. When I got cut, the blood started to go into my site a little bit. That fight wasn’t so hard for me; I think I won that fight easy.
Anson Wainwright – When can we expect to see you in action next?
Sharif Bogare – Mmm hopefully next month or in the next two months. Right now I’m looking at those top guys. I’m ready for whoever my promoter brings, I’m ready to fight anybody.
Anson Wainwright – You turned pro back in April 2008 and have quickly moved to 20-0(12) with 2 wins this year already. How have you found fighting in America as a pro?
Sharif Bogare – You know America is the place for Boxing. Every fighter wants to fight here, they dream of coming here. It’s like a home to me right now because it’s where my business takes place.
Anson Wainwright – How did moving from Uganda to America come about?
Sharif Bogare – Everything back home was hard but I came to America to turn professional. I was in Thailand for the World Championship and I decided to remain behind and turn professional, because I could take care of my business.
Anson Wainwright – Could you tell us about the team behind you, your manager, trainer & promoter? Also where do you regularly train?
Sharif Bogare – I have two managers right now, one is Jimmy Alex and Ralph Heredia. My trainer is Kenny Adams, one of the best trainers in the world. My promoter is Golden Boy Promotions owned by Oscar De La Hoya. I train in Las Vegas at a gym called Pound for Pound.
Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us how you came to be in contact with those guys as there based in America?
Sharif Bogare – Before I came to America I already had contact with Jimmy Alex my manager. So it came from that & I came to Las Vegas.
Anson Wainwright – You have a reputation of coming into the ring dressed as a Lion in a cage. Can you tell us about this and how it came about?
Sharif Bogare – You know my manager and my team saw the way I fight when I just got here in the U.S and they said I fight like a Lion. The Boxing world needs entertainment, Like Naseem (Hamed) he used to do the entrances. We don’t only want to come in the ring and fight it’s important to have an exciting entrance and entertain then take care of business in the ring too.
Anson Wainwright – Presumably things were tough growing up in Uganda? Could you tell us the path it took you as a child through to how you got involved in Boxing?
Sharif Bogare – For me my family wasn’t a wealthy family so I was a young kid who used to struggle. We used to fight on the streets and I got impressed with it. A friend of mine started bringing kids from different families and let them fight each other. What we used to do was take off our shirt and wrap them around our hands like Boxing gloves and started fighting each other. So one day a friend said “Hey Sharif” there’s a Boxing gym right next to your house you should go join. It looks scary not everybody walks straight into the gym , so a friend of mine who was a little older than me took me but he never got in the Boxing ring he was scared. One of the boxers in the gym was like “what are you here for” we said “we’re here to do some Boxing” I took of my shirt and did some shadow boxing, they saw me. I had a little bit of skills that I brought from the ghetto and everything developed from there.
Anson Wainwright – Kassim Ouma is from Uganda, is your situation similar to his in that you can’t go back to your country now?
Sharif Bogare – For me my situation is much different from Kassim. Kassim was in the army. For me I can go home and visit and see my family.
Anson Wainwright – Your still very young , but you had a decent amateur career? If so can you tell us about it the titles you may of won and your record?
Sharif Bogare – Boxing in Uganda we had really good competition. If you fought for Uganda you had to be the best in the country so back home I had a lot of competitions and experience from there I fought in the Central Africa games I won gold medals there. Then I went to the Commonwealth (games) in 2006 in Melbourne, Australia. I got all the way to the quarter finals, but I think I never lost there; the amateur style wasn’t good for me. You hit a guy and they give them the point! So thought I go professional. We did African championship in Madagascar then from there we qualified for the World Championships in Chicago. Then from there I turned professional. Back home in Uganda I think I had a lot of fights but we never had record books. But from what I recall 60 something fights and I lost 4 or 5 fights.
Anson Wainwright – Have you been able to spar with any top pros since you came to America?
Sharif Bogare – Umm I’ve sparred with a lot of good prospects and World champions. When I just got here one of the bigger names I sparred with was Zab Judah. I sparred with a lot of good fighters.
Anson Wainwright – What are your goals in Boxing?
Sharif Bogare – My dream is to make it to a World title. To be a world champion. I have dreamed about it since I was a little kid.
Anson Wainwright – Who is your Boxing hero?
Sharif Bogare – I would say (Mike) Tyson. I grew up watching him.
Anson Wainwright – When your not Boxing, what do you like to do with your time?
Sharif Bogare – For me my life is I’m addicted to training. If I’m off after a fight I go to the gym, lift weights, go to the park and run. I keep busy all the time.
Anson Wainwright – Do you have a message for the Lightweight division?
Sharif Bogare – They better stay ready Sharif is coming! I’m always going to get better. My last fight moved me to the next level. I’m coming for you. Sharif “The Lion” Bogare is coming to take the titles!
Anson Wainwright – Is there anything you’d like to add?
Sharif Bogare – I’d like to thank my team and the gym back in Africa Kampala Boxing club it’s the same one Boza Edwards & John Mugabi came from.
Thanks for your time Sharif.
Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com
