Top boxers set for busy festive season schedule
THE majority of Namibia’s top boxers are in for a busy festive season, promoter Nestor Tobias said yesterday.
On the cards is a boxing bonanza at the Windhoek Country Club this Saturday – headlined by interim WBO Africa bantamweight title holder Immanuel ‘Prince’ Naidjala and former WBO Africa light-heavyweight champion Vikapita ‘Beastmaster’ Meroro.
On Boxing Day, WBO Africa lightweight champion Martin ‘Black Poison’ Haikali is set for his fifth title defence when he fights George Ashie in Accra, Ghana.
Tobias also announced that Betuel ‘Tyson’ Uushona – initially part of Saturday’s main event – is set for an international title fight in Europe in January, so too are Wilberforce ‘Black Mamba’ Shihepo and Abmerk ‘The Scorpion’ Shidjuu.
WBO bantamweight champion Paulus ‘The Rock’ Ambunda is in line for a shot at the WBO world title in January.
“There are offers coming in for our champions from all over the world,” said Tobias. “There is no Christmas for these guys. They have to be in the gym to make sure they are in top condition.”
Uushona will fight former IBF Welterweight Champion Dejan Zavec (Jan Zaveck) from Serbia at a yet to be confirmed venue in Europe at the end of January.
“Tyson was supposed to fight Michael Sangweni from South Africa on Saturday but we decided it is better if he fights against the former world champion,” Tobias said.
“It’s a good fight and a good offer for Tyson.”
Shihepo has a chance to dislodge Germany’s Robert Stieglitz as WBO super middleweight world titleholder on January 21.
Although the ‘Black Mamba’ has dismissed his last four opponents, he has never fought an opponent of Stieglitz’s calibre.
On January 14, flyweight Shidjuu gets an opportunity to avenge his 2010 loss to Commonwealth title holder Chris Edwards.
The ‘rematch’ will take place in Liverpool with Shidjuu, who claimed to have been robbed last time, promising to stop his opponent this time around.