Tennis, golf, and skiing are considered to be rich kids’ sports, but it seems Princess Joan Nassolo, one of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II’s daughters, has her sporting inclinations invested elsewhere. It is public knowledge that Princess Katrina Sarah Ssangalyambogo is a great swimmer as she has won medals, but did you know that Nassolo is a kickboxer?
We know it’s a shocker to many of you that the princess fancies kickboxing and taekwondo, a male-dominated sport that involves enduring lots of physical pain.
The 31-year-old princess already has a title to her name: the East and Central Xtra Combat Muay Thai Women’s Championship belt.
For the first time, Uganda will be hosting mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, and the princess will be one of the many fighters.
In an exclusive interview ahead of her fight against Eunice Akello on April 10th, 2022, Nassolo, who is training in Munyonyo, says she’s tougher than she looks as she’s at her highest fitness level. She stands at 154 cm and weighs 58.3 kg.
“I agree I’ve been told I look soft, I look calm… Someone soft can still knock you out. I can knock you out and smile afterward, “says Nassolo.
The princess says she’s an avid sports enthusiast and, growing up, she always loved martial arts. She felt like it was inspiring to see women join the sport, hence deciding to give it a go.
“Being a fighter is empowering because women are always left out in such sports,” she says.
Nassolo idolizes Muhammad Ali for his unique balance as a great sportsman and his humanitarian influence.
“I want to put myself in his (Muhammad Ali) shoes. Also, I want to be remembered for the fact that I gave it my all, “she says.
Besides sports, Princess Nassolo’s passions include the conservation of culture, the environment, and wildlife, and she has a special interest in engaging with youth and believes in their limitless potential.
She is an ambassador for Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots Program in Uganda and an ambassador for the Kampala School for the Physically Handicapped.