KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandan socialites Zahara Toto and Prima Kardashi are set to take their rivalry into the boxing ring after announcing a celebrity boxing match following a public altercation at a recent Uganda Boxing Federation event in Kampala.
The bout, which has already generated significant attention on social media, was unveiled during a press conference organised in partnership with the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF), days after the pair were involved in a confrontation on the sidelines of the Boxing Champions League fight night.
The match will add to a growing trend of celebrity boxing contests in Uganda, where entertainers, influencers and public personalities have increasingly used the sport as a platform to resolve public feuds and attract audiences.
Rivalry moves from social media to the ring
The feud escalated over the weekend when Zahara Toto and Prima Kardashi reportedly clashed during the boxing event, prompting widespread discussion among fans and entertainment followers.
Appearing before journalists, both women expressed confidence ahead of the contest and vowed to emerge victorious.
Zahara Toto, a media personality known for her outspoken views and frequent social media exchanges, said she was prepared for the challenge.
“I am a fighter, and people know that. Since joining the media industry, I have always stood my ground. I’m here to show Prima what I can do,” she said.
Prima Kardashi, meanwhile, said she intends to use the fight to end what she described as Zahara’s constant provocations.
“I am here to silence Zahara Toto because she talks a lot. I’m looking forward to our fight,” Prima said.
Boxing federation backs celebrity contests
Uganda Boxing Federation president Moses Muhangi defended the decision to sanction the fight, saying the initiative is intended to promote organised competition and encourage public figures to settle disputes within regulated sporting environments rather than through online confrontations.
According to Muhangi, celebrity bouts have become an effective tool for attracting new audiences to boxing while exposing the sport to demographics that may not ordinarily follow competitive boxing.
“We want people to fight in the ring rather than on social media,” Muhangi said.
The federation has increasingly embraced exhibition and celebrity fights as part of broader efforts to popularise boxing across the country.
Growing popularity of celebrity boxing
Celebrity boxing has gained momentum in Uganda over the past few years, mirroring trends seen internationally where entertainers, influencers and public personalities compete in exhibition bouts that blend sport and entertainment.
Among the most widely publicised contests was the fight between musicians Rickman Manrick and Grenade Official, which drew substantial public interest and online engagement.
More recently, businessman Shakib Cham Lutaaya, husband of socialite and reality television star Zari Hassan, also participated in a celebrity Vurugu 2 boxing event in Nairobi with Kenyan musician Arrow Bwoy that attracted significant media coverage.
Sports and entertainment analysts say such events generate publicity for boxing while creating additional revenue streams through sponsorships, ticket sales and digital engagement.
Although organisers have not yet announced the official date, venue or fight format, anticipation is already building among fans eager to see whether the rivalry will be settled inside the ring.
For now, both Zahara Toto and Prima Kardashi appear determined to transform their public disagreement into one of Uganda’s most talked-about celebrity sporting events of the year.
