Franco Wanyama boxer

Franco Wanyama boxer
bouts
29
won
20
lost
7
draw
2
Status
inactive
Division
heavyweight
Debut
1989-12-25
Height
-
Reach
-
Age
-
Born
1968-02-07
Death
-
Nationality
Uganda

CruiserweightFranco "Thunderbird" Wanyama (7 February 1968 - 21 March 2019) in Kampala, was a Ugandan amateur middleweight and professional cruiser/heavyweight boxer of the 1980s, '90s and 2000s. He was an amateur representative of Uganda at middleweight in the Boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, losing to eventual bronze medal winner Chris Sande of Kenya, and as a professional won the BeNeLux heavyweight title, BeNeLux cruiserweight title, Commonwealth cruiserweight title, and World Boxing Federation (WBF) cruiserweight title, and was a challenger for the Commonwealth cruiserweight title against Chris Okoh, his professional fighting weight varied from 181 lb (82 kg; 12 st 13 lb), i.e. cruiserweight to 192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb), i.e. heavyweight. Wanyama defeated notable fighters such as Jimmy Thunder, Carl Thompson and Johnny Nelson and was sparring partner to Vitali Klitschko & Wladimir Klitschko. He lived his last years in Rugby, Warwickshire, England and had 3 children, Nellie Wanyama, Shannon Wanyama and Wanga Wanyama.Franco started boxing around the age of 6 after becoming curious of what was inside a local boxing gym.Franco made his professional debut on 25 December 1989 against Dutch fighter John Held (7-13-2) it ended a 6-round points draw. In 1990 he beat future world title holder Carl Thompson on points. In 1993 he won a bout against another future world champion, Johnny Nelson, who was disqualified for repeated holding. In 1995 he was matched with former world champion Thomas Hearns but the fight was called off at the last minute and Hearns was replaced by ranked Heavyweight James 'Thunder' Wanyama and gave away a 30 pounds in weight but still came away with a points victory.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
2000-06-16 Csaba Olah LLLLLL Ghent WIN
Technical knockout
1999-10-15 Daniel Jerling W Ghent WIN
Points
1999-04-05 Geert Blieck LWLWWL Ghent WIN
Majority decision
1997-12-25 Abdul Kadou WWWWLW Nakivubo Stadium, Kampala WIN
Points
1996-12-25 Dirk Wallyn WWLWWW Izegem LOST
Technical knockout
1996-11-01 Dirk Wallyn WWWWLW Izegem LOST
Technical knockout
1996-02-06 Garry Delaney WWWWWL Festival Hall, Basildon LOST
Points
1995-09-29 Chris Okoh WWWWWW York Hall, Bethnal Green LOST
Technical knockout
1995-07-16 James Thunder WWWWWW Cobo Arena, Detroit WIN
Split-decision
1994-04-02 Kalin Stoyanov LLLWLL de Haan DRAW
Points
1994-01-28 Tony Booth WLLDLW Waregem WIN
Technical knockout
1993-12-25 Bobbie Joe Edwards WWLLWL Izegem WIN
Points
1993-10-01 Johnny Nelson WLLLWW Waregem WIN
1993-04-23 Daniel Krumov LLLLL Waregem WIN
1993-01-29 John Held WWWLWL Waregem WIN
Unanimous decision
1992-12-25 Tony Booth WLLLDD Izegem WIN
Points
1992-11-01 Faustino Gonzalez WWW Izegem WIN
Technical knockout
1992-10-02 Vladimir Dyukarev WLLWWW Waregem WIN
Technical knockout
1991-06-24 John Emmen LWWWLW Weenahal, Rotterdam LOST
KO
1991-02-18 Ramon Voorn WWWWLL Sportcentrum Valkencourt, Valkenswaard WIN
Points
1990-12-25 Boubakar Sanogo WWWWLL Izegem WIN
Points
1990-10-13 Norbert Ekassi WWWLLW Ghent LOST
KO
1990-05-12 Ian Bulloch LDLWLL Waasmunster WIN
Technical knockout
1990-04-21 Carl Thompson WWWWWL Sint Amandsberg WIN
Points
1990-04-07 Mohamed Zaoui WWLWLL Carvin WIN
Technical knockout
1990-03-16 Christophe Girard WWWWWW Blois LOST
Points
1990-02-10 Serge Bolivard DDWLLL Roeselare WIN
Points
1990-01-12 Abner Blackstock LWLLLL Waregem WIN
Technical knockout
1989-12-25 John Held LLLLWD Izegem DRAW
Points