US-based prize fighter Mohammed Kayongo will try to maintain his steady and impressive progress in paid ranks when he takes on Cuba's Alex "Bullet" Perez in a non-title welterweight bout at Grand Casino Hinckley Minnesota today.

Kayongo, currently at 14,1,8KOs, won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 for Uganda. He returns to the ring after a year dogged by a shoulder injury and managerial problems despite his notable win against Argentina's Manuel Medina in July, 2007.

The 26-year-old won five Ugandan national titles defeating compatriot and former IBF junior middleweight champion Kassim Ouma in the process.

27-year-old Perez is meanwhile coming off an impressive win over Cory Peterson early this year in Michigan, but Kayongo told Daily Monitor that he is prepared for victory. "Boxing is my life. I come from the same neighborhood as John Mugabi, Ayub Kalule and Cornelius Boza Edwards. I grew up in the boxing gym, so there was no way I could renounce boxing despite my problems," Kayongo said.

Kayongo is yet to get a world title shot despite winning the US national welterweight title in 2004/5 but he has not given up. "What I need now is to exhibit a good and disciplined fight, have some luck and better management for my career to advance to a greater stature," Kayongo said.