The Ugandan boxing community is mourning the death of national team boxer Alex Kanabi, a rising talent whose career had gathered momentum in recent months.
Kanabi passed away at Kiruddu Hospital under circumstances that remain unclear. Police have not yet issued an official statement as investigations continue. His family has dismissed claims circulating on social media suggesting death by suicide.
The light middleweight boxer had emerged as one of the standout performers in the Uganda Boxing Champions League.
On December 26, Kanabi was crowned Season Four Light Middleweight Champion after defeating Mawanda Depark by unanimous decision at the Lugogo Arena, a result that underlined his rapid rise on the local scene.
He had also begun to make his mark internationally. Kanabi won a bronze medal on his national team debut at the 2025 Africa Zone III Boxing Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, earning recognition as one of Uganda’s most promising young boxers.
Uganda Boxing Federation president Moses Muhangi has sent condolences to Kanabi’s family, friends, and the wider boxing fraternity, describing his death as a major loss to the sport.
