The youngest of ten and the first of his family born in the US, Tony Abuka is incredibly close with his tight-knit Ugandan-American family, many of whom work alongside him in the bartending industry. Which is why he was thrilled when Tequila Cazadores® brought the Bartender Boxing Organization to San Diego—and he made it through tryouts alongside his niece and nephew. They faced training together and came out of the program that much stronger for it.
Below, Tony Abuka enters the ring, family at his side.
What drew you to the Bartender Boxing program?I have been an athlete throughout my life, competing in various sports such as football, basketball, and track. I enjoyed all sports, I was always able to learn the fundamentals and adjust quickly. I am a very motivated individual, which drives my competitive nature. When I set my mind to something I go after it and I make sure I achieve my goals, in any aspect of my life.
Tequila Cazadores and the Bartender Boxing Organization gave me an opportunity to broaden my horizons. I completely changed my everyday lifestyle in order to bring out the best version of myself. Stemming from struggles I've embraced as a first-generation African American man, I grew up while my family established a future. They were learning a new system as they went with no true guidelines, and achieved a high level of success to set an example to follow. In my life I had to grow up very early, it was never easy. I had to fight to make it to this point in my life. The Bartender Boxing program embodied that fight.
What was your favorite part of training?Taking on this challenge with my family. My nephew, my niece and I were all able to excel in tryouts and make Team San Diego. I have a big family, with 5 brothers and 4 sisters. I am the youngest of 10 children, also the only one born in America. Our family is first generation here, which is why we are so close. We migrated from Uganda. I do everything for my family, with aspirations to create a legacy.
During training, everyone noticed our tight bond. We were able to push each other, challenge each other, and help build each other up. We would get 2-a-day workouts and invite our teammates to join us, we called it extra credit. An average workout would include dynamic stretching, shadow sparring, jump rope, bag work, mitt work, and sparring. I was able to compete with professional fighters and top ranked amateur boxers. Yet it forced me to do something I would never want to do; having to spar my family was a challenge for me. First hand I learned sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do in order to get the results you deserve.
Ultimately, what did you get out of participating in the program? What did boxing reveal to you about yourself?This program was one of the most challenging experiences of my life. The actual portion which consisted of training/boxing wasn’t the hardest part. In order to succeed in this program, you have to make a lot of sacrifices. Prioritizing is a necessity. It required a great balance of time and energy. Before I began this program, I had three jobs, while building a non-profit organization, also a clothing brand. After participating in Bartender boxing I believe I can conquer any obstacles in my path.
Stay tuned. This will not be the last time you hear of Tony "Alpha Omega" Abuka in the ring. This is just the beginning of this journey.
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