Boxer Abdul - grandson of dictator - disqualified for headbutt

What the report says

BBC Sport reported that Ugandan super-heavyweight boxer Aziz Abdul, a grandson of former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, was disqualified from his Commonwealth Games bout against England’s Damar Thomas in Glasgow on 29 July 2026. The incident occurred early in the third round, when Abdul was penalized after raising his head into Thomas’ chin while the fighters were tied up at close range.

According to the BBC, Abdul had already received warnings in the first two rounds and was behind on every judges’ scorecard before the disqualification. He disputed the ruling afterward, saying the head movement was not deliberate and alleging the officials favored his opponent because Thomas was fighting in his home country. BBC Sport said it had sought comment from Commonwealth Games organizers and World Boxing about Abdul’s remarks.

Thomas advanced with at least a bronze medal secured, though he told the BBC the ending was not how he wanted to win and said his focus was on his next bout. For Abdul, the result ended a bid to secure Uganda’s first Commonwealth boxing medal since the 1990 Games in Auckland.

The BBC also noted the wider attention around Abdul’s family history. Idi Amin seized power in Uganda in 1971 and led a violent regime associated with mass killings. Amin, who had boxed and served in the King’s African Rifles, cultivated a public fascination with Scotland and declared himself “King of Scotland” in 1976. Before the fight, Abdul had referenced that history by saying he wanted to become the new “King of Scotland.”