Bernhard wants to fight Simon Jr
By Michael Uugwanga
BOXER Michael Bernhard has said that he is not ruling out a future fight against Harry Simon Jr, while at the same time he is also contemplating fights against Julius ‘Blue Machine’ Indongo and Paulus ‘Hitman’ Moses.
Bernhard (26) was speaking in an exclusive interview with Confidente Sport over the past weekend at the MTC Kilimanjaro Northern Boxing Championship that was held in Ongwediva on May 1.
Bernhard and Simon Jr are regarded as the future of boxing, with Bernard being the son to founder and chairman of Kilimanjaro Boxing Club Joseph Bernhard, while Simon Jr is son to legendary boxer and former World Boxing Organisation (WBO) middleweight world champion Harry ‘Terminator’ Simon.
The two boxers fight in both the welterweight and lightweight divisions depending on their opponents, but Simon Jr mostly fights in the super-lightweight division, while Bernard last fought in the lightweight division.
“We (Bernhard and Simon Jr) are not in the same division but as time comes I think we are going to face each other, because we want to show the world that we need such a fight. There must only be one best boxer in the country. If I want to go and fight him (Simon Jr) I will have to move up in the division,” said Bernhard.
He said that if he wants to be the best he needs to take on boxers that have achieved greater heights, notably Indongo, who is a former World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organisation (IBO) light-welterweight world champion between 2016 and 2017; and Moses who held the WBA title from 2009 to 2010.
Bernhard is expected to step inside the ring in August this year.
“Those guys (Indongo and Moses) are in my division, but I do not know if both have retired or not. The two are big names and they are on my mind. My dream is to get a world title before I retire in 10 years,” said Bernhard.
Meanwhile, last Saturday in Ongwediva the MTC –Northern Boxing Championship took place featuring 19 fights in the amateur boxing bonanza held at the Multi-purpose Centre.
Below are the full results:
Exam Udafaneni beat Tobias Amunyela (48 kg) division,Profilio Nganghambe beat Petrus Sheehama (48 kg), Trofimus Johannes beat Matheus Ferdinand (51kg), Shilongo Indongo beat Asino Shilongo (51kg), Mikael Antonius beat Uusiku Fillimon (51kg), Pius William beat Tobias Armas (54kg-57kg), Aipanda Joseph beat Jackson Prince (54kg-57kg), Amundjebo Taapopi beat Akawa Paulus (54kg-57kg), David Johannes beat Nickoraus Nghihalulwa (57kg-60kg), Stefanus Fabianus beat Elias Johannes (57kg-60kg), Thomas Thomas beat Hasheekele Eliakim (57kg-60kg), Kemunini Abrosius beat Sheetekela Risto (60kg-64kg), Frela Johannes beat Stefanus Paulus in the 60kg-64kg , Shipahu Deocar beat Paulus Ndemupanda (69kg-75kg), Amon Iiyambo beat Shikulo Lineekela (69kg-75kg), Jerobiam Thomas beat Petrus Shiixuleni (75kg-81kg) and Amos Jason beat Pinehas Johannes (81kg-91kg).