Let local boxers back in the ring

SINCE our boxers had a chance to fight foreign opponents inside and outside the country before the lockdown caused by Covid-19, resulting in all sporting activities globally to be called off, it will be good to see our top boxers exchange blows with opponents in their respective weight divisions.

I am referring to the likes of Lukas Desert Storm Sakaria, Harry Simon Jr, Nathaniel Kakololo, Jeremiah Nakathila and many others whose scheduled fights were called off.

As a boxing fan I would like to see our top local boxers fight each other to make up for the missed golden opportunity that was awaiting them. The respective boxing stables need to organise local fights once the once the state of emergency  is lifted.

Sakaria was set to fight in the U.S.A. against Jessie Magdaleno of the U.S.A. at the famous Madison Square Gardens in New York on 14 March in a world title eliminator.

Simon Jr was due to fight Jabulani Makhense of South Africa at Emperors Palace in South Africa on 21 March, while Kakololo was due to fight South African Lerato Dlamini for the World Boxing Council (WBC) silver belt in East London, South Africa also in March. Jeremiah Nakathila, was due to fight Tanzania’s Emmanuel ‘Sniper’ Amos in April.

Namibia is a country rich in talented boxers, who are highly rated in the world in various weight divisions and them fighting each other will attract international audiences, meaning money could start flowing into the country.

We all know that it is very difficult to stage international fights due to high demands from foreign boxers, especially boxers from Europe, Asia, South America or from the U.S.A., therefore staging local fights wherein top ranked boxers from various boxing stables compete could just be a good idea, to see who is the best boxer in his division, as many still think that there are lots of boxers who are never given an opportunity, while they have what it takes to beat highly ranked boxers.

It is time that promoters put their heads together and organise such a boxing bonanza as a way to make up for the loss of income boxers endured due to the lockdown.

For example, we have Lukas Ndafoluma in the middleweight division and Walter Kautondokwa in the same division – both highly ranked boxers in the world. These two can fight each other to determine who the best boxer in the country is, as such a contest would attract audiences globally.

I would also like to see Kakololo fight Sakaria, as both boxers are in the featherweight division, although Sakaria’s camp might not see this as a step forward but rather a step back, but both boxers are making headway in their boxing careers and have the ambition to fight for a world title.

Another dream fight that I would like to see is the one between Simon Jr and Lazarus ‘Key Locker’ Shaningwa. What a fight this could pan out to be?

Another fight that could be of local interest would be between Paulus Moses and old foe Albinus ‘Danny Boy’ Felesianu, a fight that could have materialised a few years ago but never took place because the promoter of Moses saw it as a pointless fight for Moses, who was then aiming for a world title shot.

Promoters, please let’s make local lekker, as we are really starved of top quality boxing action and it would be the right time to start off with a bang once the state of emergency is lifted.