Julius Luipa

Julius Luipa (2 January 1948 – 19 June 1996) was a Zambian boxer who won two silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and represented Zambia at the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games. One of Zambia's best amateur boxers, he was the country's Sportsman of the Year in 1970 and when he turned professional four years later, he defeated George Chisenga to become Zambian light heavyweight champion and held the title until he was dethroned by Lottie Mwale in 1977.

Career

Luipa was born in Chingola where he took up boxing at the age of ten at Nchanga North Boxing Club. He started his amateur boxing career at Chingola Police Amateur Boxing Club in 1962, and by 1967, was considered one of Zambia's best amateur boxers.

He won a silver medal during the fourth All-Africa amateur boxing championships held in Lusaka in 1968, losing the welterweight final to Cameroon’s Joseph Bessala. He was selected to represent his country at the 1968 Mexico Summer Olympics where he defeated Algeria’s Rabah Labiod in the opening round, and then received a bye in round two. As fate would have it, he faced Bessala once again and was defeated, ranking ninth overall, as Bessala went on to win the silver medal.

In 1971, he was again sponsored by the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa to attend a trainers’ course in West Germany for six months and the following year, he won a silver medal at a tournament in Minsk, Byelorussian SSR and was the only Zambian to take part in the East and Central African Championship in Uganda. He won a gold medal and described the championships as ‘tough but enjoyable.’ This turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments of his career.

Nicknamed Juju Man, not, because of a connection to black magic as the name implies, but the iteration of the first syllable of his first name, Luipa turned professional soon after the Commonwealth Games as a middleweight under Pius Kakungu Stables.

He set his eyes on the Commonwealth title and registered victories over Lovemore Gatsi and David Natta in 1975. However, his reign was ended by a loss to Zambian boxing's golden boy Lottie Mwale who knocked him out in the 6th round of their title fight on 27 August 1977, which was his first loss as a professional. Luipa blamed an injury to his wrist and a pulled muscle in his left arm for the defeat, and promised to win back his title after treatment.

A rematch with Mwale never materialized though Luipa fought another rising star in Chisanda Mutti in 1978, but was knocked out, and he quit boxing the following year. The Times of Zambia however still described him as a destitute and this was echoed by the man who dethroned him, Lottie Mwale, who described him as a brother. “It is sad he is gone. He died a poor man, rather forgotten despite his contribution to Zambian boxing. He was like a brother to me and I learnt a lot from him.”

He was laid to rest at Chiwempala Cemetery on 21 June 1996.

Legacy

According to the Times of Zambia: "Luipa inspired a lot of upcoming boxers and was always ready to share his knowledge and experience with younger fighters like Mwale, who drew on Luipa's experience at the 1974 Commonwealth Games."

He also trained a lot of young boxers in welfare centres and boxing clubs and was the first trainer at Chiwempala Amateur Boxing club which he formed in 1973.

Honours

Amateur highlights

1968 Africa Amateur Boxing Championships: Silver medal 1970 Commonwealth Games: Silver medal 1971 Minsk Championship: Silver medal 1971 East and Central African Boxing Championship: Gold medal 1974 Commonwealth Games: Silver medal

Professional

1974-1977: Zambian light heavy weight title

Individual

Zambian Sportsman of the Year 1970