Uganda Amateur Boxing Federation (UABF) has added two new competitions to their 2006 calendar as a way to improve competition and standard of the sport locally, local press reported on Sunday.

The calendar that includes Challenge Cup in April and Cadet championships in July was released at UABF offices in Kampala at weekend.

UABF general secretary Sande Musoke who admitted that 2005 was a flop for boxing, said that the new competitions were aimed at restoring quality in amateur fights.

"Champions in the weight categories have always relaxed and lost form. The Challenge Cup will give any boxer of a certain weight category chance to challenge them and this is the only way to put pressure on boxers to mind their fitness," Musoke explained.

The Cadet championship was scrapped off the UABF programs in 2004 on advice of international amateur boxing governing body AIBA, and replaced it with Novice.

The federation has also decided to have qualifiers for the National Open unlike previous years.

Source: Xinhua