•" There are many who are hospitalised and who should not have been there if their lifestyle culture changed for the better.”—Oure
•“In my family, we have 10 national Champions, six regional Champions, two world champions and three Olympians,"— Oure
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Lifestyle-related chronic diseases are placing an increasing burden on health systems around the globe. What’s more, they contribute to over 65 per cent of medical cases in Kenyan hospitals.
That notwithstanding, Denmark-based Kenyan Olympian Evans Ashira Oure believes such complications can be a thing of the past with proper guidance on fitness and culture change.
“We can prevent these diseases by making small changes in people’s behaviour. The health benefits are there, they are real, they are measured and are cost effective,” said Oure, who savoured several sparring sessions with pound-for-pound pugilist Floyd Mayweather Jr at Palm Beach, Florida in his days at Don King’s stable.
So what has “The African Warrior” been up to after hanging up his gloves in 2008?
Upon retirement from the ring in Denmark, Oure’s daily grind has revolved around promoting healthy living amongst active and retired sports personalities as well as individuals from the corporate world.
He spends a part of each day grooming the next generation of boxing champions, over and above, disseminating valuable fitness experience to corporate people most of whom are vulnerable to life threatening complications like cancer, obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
Boxmedtech, which is owned and operated by Oure, supports and imparts healthy experience, ostensibly to mitigate life-threatening diseases.
“Boxmedtech is an idea my friend and I came up with on realisation that many corporate people and young folks suffered a great deal as a result of not exercising regularly. Boxmedtech is the future of training. Many people need something affordable to stay in shape and healthy. So I am bringing home a blend of American and European perception which will definitely give many jobless boxers something to live on, work with the community and indeed get back in shape.”
“Boxmedtech is going to transform lives in a way and people will be motivated to stay in shape by understanding the power of preventive measures. The secret is to train right and eat right.”
Oure has continued to give back to the community, supported boxers and brought home plenty of boxing equipment.
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He says: “I’m still giving back hugely now by bringing technology back home through partnerships with Europeans. This will help many people given that Boxmedtech will be conducting health checks which will include eye screening. This will no doubt prevent blindness, especially for diabetic patients. On the same note, we will also be imparting valuable lessons on nutrition and training to balance the body.”
Boxmedtech is currently based in Denmark, but the former Kenyan international and multiple world title contender has elaborate plans to spread his tentacles as far afield as Nairobi and Mombasa counties.
“We have identified two gyms in Nairobi and two gyms in Mombasa. In Nairobi, we will work with Boniface Ingari and Joseph Akhasamba of Nairobi Kenpo Karate. Nairobi Kenpo Karate and Fitness Gym is located in Nairobi County in the Central Business District on Mfangano Street’s Terry House on first floor opposite Cianda Shopping Mall. Jamal Zafa—Smart Gym is at Diamond Plaza in Parklands.
“Lemmy Katibi has Mwanandondi Boxing Club in Kisauni while Moses Tamba will help out with the program at Boabab Fitness. We have these trainers ready and we going to teach them how modern boxing training is done.”
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“From our nutritional tutorials, we will then incorporate at the gyms some state of the art technology to shore up the training and bring out the modern and future training facet. Boxmedtech will draw its members from the society who would have to engage in an elaborate healthy lifestyle program.”
“There are many people working around out of shape not knowing the risk. There are many who are hospitalised and who should not have been there if their lifestyle culture changed for the better.”
So how is Oure involved with boxing on a day-to-day basis?
“I’m still very much into boxing. I’m training the best business society around Copenhagen. I also have three sons boxing at the amateur level. They are Fredrick Ashira Oure Jr (22), Esonga Ashira Oure (18) and Owiso Oure (15). My big daughter Debra Oure won the Danish Music Grammy in 2018,” narrated Oure.”
Oure also runs a boxing club which takes part in boxing events in London and Copenhagen. “I have a new concept which entails timely health and physical checks, as well as dieting. The essence of it all is changing people’s lives using boxing concepts to inspire and motivate. Boxing is my life and there is no way I am going to stop exploring new ideas given the advancement in technology.
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Oure lives at Hellerup, which is a small city five kilometres from downtown Copenhagen and spends some time in London. But it’s in Hellerup where he runs his trade though. He speaks fluent Danish enough to get his career going.
“In modern society, everyone speaks English, making things easier,” he quips. Oure comes from a family line of boxing greats.
“In my family, we have 10 national Champions, six regional Champions, two world champions and three Olympians. We are the biggest family in the history of boxing in Kenya and may be across the East and Central Africa region,” he says.
“Personally, I learned a lot from the legendary Owiso Oure who was the first Kenyan black heavyweight champion in colonial days when indigenous Africans were not allowed to venture in the boxing championship. My Uncle Owiso was a small heavyweight. He could get in the ring first, box a light heavyweight and get back one fight or two, at heavyweight sometimes knocking them out. Uncle Owiso was such a sturdy boxer and is best remembered for his neck and neck encounter with Idi Amin when the latter was still in Ugandan military.”
So what’s Oure’s advice to boxers aspiring to make boxing their bread and butter?
“Professional boxing is business. You just have to believe in yourself and maximize on the opportunity. Our boxers should focus on investing in small things that can pay big, live healthy, stay in shape and they will live longer.”
Oure has never abandoned his Kenyan roots and said: “I make Kenyan food wherever I have lived. In the USA when I joined the Don King stable, it was easier to get the Kenyan cuisine like ugali, sukuma wiki greens, because I was based in Florida. London is also easier to get Kenyan food. Thatched House Restaurant prepares all the Kenyan delicacies that we need. In Denmark, we can get maize meal and sukuma sometimes.”
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Early days
Oure reckons that he had the boxing bug the moment he was born. “Being born in a boxing family, my uncle Owiso Oure inspired me immensely. And having fought Iddi Amin, that alone became a significant motivating factor to the whole generation of boxers. In the family, we all wanted a piece of his flair and toughness hence the motivation to do more, given the fact, I could not beat that.”
“I joined the national team in 1993 and never stopped until I moved to Denmark for greener pastures. I have fought across the globe and challenged some of the greatest pugilists like WBC/WBA/WBO World Super Middle champion Joe Calzaghe. I have also boxed in the world’s biggest arenas among them Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the famous Madison Square Garden in New York, Cardiff Whales UK just to name but a few.”
“My amateur trainers Charles Owiso and Antony Oyombe to Pro trainer Ivor Delima have been awesome. They all had a big contribution to my success story. My ring name (The African Warrior) has, by and large, resonated well with my relentless and flamboyant boxing style,” he concludes.
VANS OURE ASHIRA BIO
Alias Name-African Warrior
Pro career-1998-2008
Born: December 28, 1969
Weight Division-Middleweight
Amateur: Olympics Games
Stance-Orthodox
Height- 5′ 10 / 178cm
Residence-in Hellerup, Denmark
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
-1996 Atlanta Olympic Games - welterweight
- Two-time World Champion (IBA World Middle Title & IBA World Super Welter Title)
-Two Times World title contender (WBA World Middle Title & WBO World Super Middle Title)
- IBF Inter-Continental Super Welterweight champion on stopping Argentine Silvio Luis Peppino in 1999
-WBA Inter-Continental Middle Title (defended multiple times)
-Vacant Commonwealth (British Empire) Middle Title contender 2007
- Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) Inter Continental Super Welter Title 2008