The beginning:

My full name is Evans Ashira Oure, I was born December 28th 1969 at Jericho Lumumba, Nairobi, Kenya.

I Lived in Nairobi until I was three years old, when I moved to Kibokoni Mombasa. At the age of 5 years I started nursery school at Makande, before enlisting to Serani primary School in Mombassa at the age of 6.

Evans DadAt the age of 11, my Dad was killed in road accident. I Moved to the Kakamega district in western Kenya, where I lived with my beloved Grand Mama Dibora Oure, and went to Emulunya primary school. I lived with my grand mama until I was 15years old and had completed primary school level. I Then Moved back to Mombassa for my secondary education at the Mombassa secondary school.

Meanwhile, at the age of 13 I tried to play football, but after I suffered a serious injury on my knee i stopped. Then I started boxing like my brothers did! At the age of 16 I was junior champion. I Then stopped boxing for a while to complete my secondary education. Then I come back at the age of 18. I left my Mentor Club; Transfix, the club where I started out, which was Coached by my cousin brother; Charles Owiso. Charles was a 1984 Los Angeles Olympian! I left transfix to box in the senior national boxing league, where I represented a company called K:P:&Tand, but was still trained by my cousin.

I got on the national team:

In late 1992, I was part of the Kenyan national team, and in early 1993 I was sent on my first international assignment; The Kings Cup tournament in Khokhoen, Thailand. I did well, but broke my finger in the second fight. After that I was out of action for four months!

After my break, I went to the national trials where they selected the Federation of east, southern, central Africa Amateur boxing Association team (fescaaba). I won the trials, then went on to win a bronze medal at the Championships at light welter, which was held in Nairobi. Later the same year I boxed in a international friendly at Mahe Sychelles and won. In 1994 I won a silver medal in the (Fecaaba) Championships, which was held in Mauritius.

I then went to the commonwealth games in Canada, but never got in the ring in the games, since I broke my thumb in the camp. I won the all African games (held In Zimbabwe) in 1995 at welterweight. I was the Kenya Team captain in the 1995 Kings Cup (Chang Mai, Thailand) where I lost in my third fight. The Russian Boxer who defeated me went on to win the Gold!

In 1996 i represented Kenya in the Atlanta Olympics, but lost my first outing to a boxer from Uzbekistan. Later in 1996 I won the light middle weight gold in the Commonwealth boxing championships at Mabato South Africa. In 1997 I then boxed for Kenya Vs Uganda at Lugogo, Uganda. I fought the long time Ugandan Champion; James Lubwama, who is by the way now a professional in Florida, USA. I was the captain of the Kenyan national team in 1995 and 1997

Turning professional:

After the Olympics and commonwealth Games, I thought I had had enough of boxing. I went back to working at the harbour where I used to work. After six months I started to miss boxing again. I figured if I was to continue my boxing career, it had to be outside Kenya. I had a standing offer to turn pro in Canada from after the Olympics. I wrote the promoter in Canada, and he wrote back telling me; that I had to stay in Canada for three years without leaving, before my papers would work out, and I will be able to go back and forth between Kenya and Canada.

I didn’t want to do that! I also had contact in Denmark where I had one amateur fight in preparation for the Olympics Games. I Wrote to Ivor De Lima, asking if it was possible for me to box for a Danish Club. He wrote back, telling me that he could make the arrangements, and check me out to see if he could get me a pro contract. Me and my friend Omar Kasongo, a Heavyweight, were ready to go, but he changed his mind, and went to Canada. I Then travelled with my friend George Odour, a Middleweight, we both had four amature fights in Denmark. I won them all, three by knock out, including a stoppage win over well respected Dane Michael Rask, in his back yard Aalborg!

After my Christmas holidays in Kenya in 1997, I was offered to come and sign a professional contract With a new promoter in Denmark called Anders Vester, who at that time was considered a “pirate promoter”, due to him being licensed by a new organization in Denmark which was not recognized by the rest of Europe. But I had to make a living, so cared less about that issue.

CHANGES:

I had my first professional fight in late March 1998, and also was blessed with my first born son; Ashira Oure Jnr. I won my Debut by stopping a boxer called Kontantin Dima in the second round. I won all my first six fights by Knock out, and after my 9th fight which I boxed for IBF Intercontinental Jnr. Middleweight title, winning by 9th round KO against Argentinean Silvio Peppino in April 1999, I Started having problems with my then Promoter Anders Vester, who financially was raping my career since I had signed with him.

He had promised things would change after the title fight, which it didn’t, and I had some regular fights before defending my title for the first and only time in January 2000, against American Darren Maciunski. I made a good fight, stopping the American in the 7th round, which was credited to good training with my then trainer Brian Mathiasen, since we had enough time for this fight.

The rest of the fights I had to take them on a short notice, training for at least two weeks before the fight. I had moved back to Kenya after my title fight due to problems with the promoter raping my career financially, and I could not afford to live in Denmark with the kind of money I got and still do something for my future.

Most of my title defence kept dragging out and getting cancelled at the eleventh hour. So I decided to take a meeting with the promoter which didn’t happen physically but on the phone since he turned out to be too busy for a meeting. Then I told him I could take the last fight for him then I could go, since the deal didn’t make sense anyway. Everything was under his terms and nothing under mine. I had to decide I was done with such conditions and offered him the last fight before getting out of the deal.

He tried everything to ruin me and even wrote a letter to Danish foreigners administration trying to get me out of the country, and cancelled my work permit, while he owed me money from all the cancelled fights and training expenses trying to get away with it .

A NEW START:

My Friend Jan Andersen (now Manager/ Advisor) came in on my side . By then he was my sponsor, and he told he to just keep training and he would take care of the details. I thanked God for listening to my prayers, and still prayed to God to get me through this and give me my career back. I Started training again with my old trainer Ivor Delima, and I was offered a fight by Mogens Palle and had to move a weight class up to middleweight, and fight his new signing Armand Krajnc for the WBO World title and the WBA International title.

I took the offer, but then the old promoter; Vester, took me to court for taking the fight. Luckly my Friend / Manager / Advisor Jan Andersen, had a lawyer; Michael Hammer, on my case, which saw Vester lose the in court . and I was told I was free to box Vester did not have any rights on my career no more!!!

I remember getting the news in the Gym and I was down on my knees thanking God, for his great work. Meanwhile Krajnc had trouble with Universum Box Promotions, who he was contracted to before, which saw him lose the case. I was rescheduled to box for the IBA World title and the WBA international title still, against Fredrik Alvarez who at that time was 37-4 (25 kOs), and I was 19-0 (10 kOs). I knocked out Alvarez in the 11th round and won The IBA World Title and WBA international Title!

I thanked God and asked him to bless my manager who worked so hard, and took my career out of the drain to the road again. I took off my hat to my trainer Ivor Delima, who worked hard with me every single day for the fight.

Now we all like a family in boxing, and looking at the next level in boxing being a contender at middle weight, and working with the world most respected promoter Donking. I still believe my dreams of taking one of the beigest title will come true come the time.

God has blessed me with a beautiful wife Lene Ashira and three Beloved Sons Ashira Oure Jnr ((9yrs), Oure Ashira Freddy Jnr (5yrs) and Lucas Esonga Ashira (2yrs) months .

A word to all my fans and friends; I am here for real and me/my team we are taking this thing to the next level and do our thing. Gods love and protection be with everyone!

NOTES ABOUT MY FRIENDS:

My Family, Son Ashira Oure Jr.,Fredrick Ashira Oure, Lucas Esonga Ashira and my Ex /wife Lene Ashira; Are always there for me in all conditions.

Jan Andersen – (Now my manager. Always advises on what to do ,encourages me and makes me see life at a different angle. Assists me and always has time for me, no matter what the situation is.)

Ivor De Lima (Been Fatherly figure to me, and encourages me to do the best ,and make sure I know what I want. Do it for myself! Always says Fatherly things like – if you work genuinely, you get the portion of luck you need for your life.)

My Uncle, Owiso Oure (brought me up from when I was young, with strong personality, strong spirit and self confidence.)