Amateur boxers set for more action

WINDHOEKHECTOR MAWONGA The Namibian Boxing Federation (NBF), under whose control amateur boxing is run, plans to stage more events in the country following a successful trip to Zambia last week. Namibian Sun discovered this at a press conference held to inform the nation about the team's performance in a friendly boxing tournament where 12 boxers competed against their Zambian counterparts. Namibia won eight out of 15 fights during the two-day event and the team's manager, Nicky Natangwe, was delighted with his boxers' performances. “I really am happy with their performances and their attitudes during the event. We did quite well and Nathanael Kakololo, who was one of the best boxers at the tournament, really stole the show,” Natangwe said. With this excursion having been such a success, Natangwe added that there are more tournaments in the pipeline for the boxers. “We are still planning to set up more tournaments. In fact, we'll have a tournament in Okakarara next Friday as we have invited boxers from Erongo Region to take on these guys... Botswana and Zambia will also be coming here in the near future,” he said. The trip, which was part of the NBF's efforts to ensure that Namibia sends a strong team to the Commonwealth Games next year, also seems to have inspired the leadership of amateur boxing. The NBF's secretary-general, Joe Kaperu, said that he felt compelled to make sure this team reaches its full potential. “We are dedicated to do even more this year,” he said before heaping praise on thos who made the trip possible. “I want to commend the [Namibian Sports Commission] NSC for making the trip possible... as well as Telecom, who are the elite sponsors of amateur boxing in the country,” he said. Warning Kaperu, meanwhile, took exception to people that are hosting amateur events without seeking sanctions from the NBF. “We have observed that there are people that are hosting random events without being sanctioned by the boxing federation. There is the issue of safety at stake because it is our job to look at whether or not the boxers are safe,” he said. The administrator went on to say that if unsanctioned tournaments continue to be the order of the day, Namibia runs the risk of being suspended by the international body running amateur boxing, AIBA. “As we speak, South Africa has already been suspended and we can easily follow the same route. So we [NBF] are giving these people, who are in positions of power, a warning,” he stated.