Iron Lady makes boxing return after five years
By Michael Uugwanga
AFTER an absence of nearly five years, the country’s only female boxing promoter Anita ‘Iron Lady’ Tjombe is set to make a big return to the sport come next year, with an aim of scouting local boxers and sending them to Europe for greener pastures.
Tjombe is the proud owner of Iron Lady Promotions, a stable she launched in 2016 but it never kicked off since its launch due to an ugly fallout with then chairman of the Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (NPBWC) Elison Hijarunguru.
The Iron Lady Promotions boxing tournament that was pencilled for 30 October 2016 had to be cancelled after Hijarunguru told Tjombe that her outfit did not meet all the requirements to host a tournament.
Tjombe is well-known for reviving the career of former World Boxing Organisation (WBO) champion, Harry ‘The Terminator’ Simon in 2012, after Simon was released from prison for culpable homicide.
Speaking to Confidente Sport this week, the outspoken Tjombe said that she has found potential sponsors from Europe after finding it hard to secure local sponsors like other already established stables, notably MTC Kilimanjaro Boxing Club, MTC Nestor Sunshine Tobias Fitness and Boxing Academy and MTC Salute Boxing Academy.
She said this time around she is back for good and that she will make sure that the boxers that will be under her stable will be well looked after, as they will have medical aid, accommodation and that they will be based in Europe where they will be training in top class gyms unlike the local ones.
“After five-year absence, this time I am here for good. My plan is to do the same I have done for Simon. I am the one that restored back Simon’s name in boxing as I went to approach the Office of the Founding President (Sam Nujoma) for a car sponsor and a driver for Simon. I also made sure that Simon had medical aid, accommodation, looked after him financially and got him good fights.
“I am only having four boxers of which I will be making sure that they are well looked after. I have so far secured investors from Europe who are keen to work with me. Since I am the only black female boxing promoter it really makes me proud. I have stayed partially in boxing but only through providing ring girls. Definitely come March next year you will see big things,” she said.
As for her favourite local boxers, Tjombe picked out Simon, Paulus Ambunda and Bryan Simon – the son to Simon.
“Ambunda is my favourite but there are other boxers that I admire a lot such as Vikapita ‘Beastmaster’ Meroro, Flame ‘Special One’ Nangolo, Bryan (Simon) and Lukas Desert Storm Sakaria,” she said.