Drama engulfs boxing bonanza
After a nearly four-hour delay, amid sanctioning fees being settled at the last minute, the weigh-in for an independence celebration boxing tournament finally took place yesterday afternoon.
The 'Legacy Fight' Independence Celebration boxing bonanza's weigh-in delivered loads of drama yesterday in Windhoek, ahead of the widely anticipated event tonight at the Ramatex complex.
The boxing bonanza is aimed at celebrating former presidents Sam Nujoma and Hifikepunye Pohamba, as well as incumbent head of the state, Hage Geingob.
In that spirit, the weigh-in was supposed to take place at Post Street Mall, but was delayed because Namibian Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (NPBWCB) acting administrator Hendrik Mapele did not turn up, because the sanctioning fees had not been settled at that stage.
After a nearly four-hour wait, and in Mapele's absence, the weigh-in kicked off just to be stopped by a burst of rainfall.
Nestor Tobias from MTC Sunshine Promotions then moved the weigh-in to the Windhoek Country Club Resort, where the boxers eventually restarted and completed the process.
Mapele then turned up after a long wait.
When asked why there was a delay, Tobias said blood tests for all the international fighters were not available, and hence the reason why the boxing board official came late.
Two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tobias did not pay the sanctioning fees for his boxing bonanza and that is the main reason why the board refused to sign off on the event.
One of the sources said Tobias did not think about the psychological effect this might have on Walter 'The Executioner' Kautondokwa, who is defending his WBO Africa middleweight title against Billi Godoy of Argentina in the main fight.
“That guy will go into the fight worried about whether the fight will be called off, instead of focusing on the job at hand,” one of the sources said.
Tobias, however, was adamant the delay was because blood samples were not available, and nothing more.
Mapele advised Namibian Sun to call the board's lawyer for more information.
The lawyer, Ronald Kurtz, said the weigh-in was delayed because last-minute sanctioning fee payments were made.
“This might be because the promoter received money from the sponsors very late and there were a couple of outstanding issues in terms legal matters around contracts and the boxers' medicals. Some of these documents only came to my desk yesterday, even though we give 30 days for all these things to be sorted out and handed in,” he said.
Kautondokwa, rated number five by the WBO, will take on Godoy, while Jeremiah Nakathila, rated number six by the WBO, will take on Patrick Okine from Ghana to defend his WBO Africa junior lightweight title.
Mike Shonena, rated number 15 by the WBO, will defend his WBO Africa welterweight title against Said Yazidu from Tanzania.
In other fights Max Ipinge will face Limbabi Powder of Malawi in the junior middleweight division, while featherweights Timoteus 'Remember' Shuulula and Tinkani Kamanga from Malawi will also trade blows.
The other fights on the card are:
International middleweight - Paulinus Paulus vs Misanjo Charles.
Lightweight - Harry Simon Junior vs Gerson Veeta
Flyweight - Andreas Amupolo vs Ruben Kandiba
Welterweight - Charles Shinima vs Sakaria Kleopas
Super bantamweight - Nghitumbwa Filipus vs Frankie Kativa
Bantamweight - Sam Mathew vs Gabriel Jamba
Bantamweight - Andeas Mwenyo vs Petrus Gustavo
International welterweight - Emmanuel Mungandjela vs Steven Shimbonde
Featherweight - Onesmus Nekundi vs Niikoti Johannes
The event will take place at Ramatex and will start at 14:00.
VIP tickets cost N$500 and general tickets are selling for N$50.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
The boxing bonanza is aimed at celebrating former presidents Sam Nujoma and Hifikepunye Pohamba, as well as incumbent head of the state, Hage Geingob.
In that spirit, the weigh-in was supposed to take place at Post Street Mall, but was delayed because Namibian Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (NPBWCB) acting administrator Hendrik Mapele did not turn up, because the sanctioning fees had not been settled at that stage.
After a nearly four-hour wait, and in Mapele's absence, the weigh-in kicked off just to be stopped by a burst of rainfall.
Nestor Tobias from MTC Sunshine Promotions then moved the weigh-in to the Windhoek Country Club Resort, where the boxers eventually restarted and completed the process.
Mapele then turned up after a long wait.
When asked why there was a delay, Tobias said blood tests for all the international fighters were not available, and hence the reason why the boxing board official came late.
Two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tobias did not pay the sanctioning fees for his boxing bonanza and that is the main reason why the board refused to sign off on the event.
One of the sources said Tobias did not think about the psychological effect this might have on Walter 'The Executioner' Kautondokwa, who is defending his WBO Africa middleweight title against Billi Godoy of Argentina in the main fight.
“That guy will go into the fight worried about whether the fight will be called off, instead of focusing on the job at hand,” one of the sources said.
Tobias, however, was adamant the delay was because blood samples were not available, and nothing more.
Mapele advised Namibian Sun to call the board's lawyer for more information.
The lawyer, Ronald Kurtz, said the weigh-in was delayed because last-minute sanctioning fee payments were made.
“This might be because the promoter received money from the sponsors very late and there were a couple of outstanding issues in terms legal matters around contracts and the boxers' medicals. Some of these documents only came to my desk yesterday, even though we give 30 days for all these things to be sorted out and handed in,” he said.
Kautondokwa, rated number five by the WBO, will take on Godoy, while Jeremiah Nakathila, rated number six by the WBO, will take on Patrick Okine from Ghana to defend his WBO Africa junior lightweight title.
Mike Shonena, rated number 15 by the WBO, will defend his WBO Africa welterweight title against Said Yazidu from Tanzania.
In other fights Max Ipinge will face Limbabi Powder of Malawi in the junior middleweight division, while featherweights Timoteus 'Remember' Shuulula and Tinkani Kamanga from Malawi will also trade blows.
The other fights on the card are:
International middleweight - Paulinus Paulus vs Misanjo Charles.
Lightweight - Harry Simon Junior vs Gerson Veeta
Flyweight - Andreas Amupolo vs Ruben Kandiba
Welterweight - Charles Shinima vs Sakaria Kleopas
Super bantamweight - Nghitumbwa Filipus vs Frankie Kativa
Bantamweight - Sam Mathew vs Gabriel Jamba
Bantamweight - Andeas Mwenyo vs Petrus Gustavo
International welterweight - Emmanuel Mungandjela vs Steven Shimbonde
Featherweight - Onesmus Nekundi vs Niikoti Johannes
The event will take place at Ramatex and will start at 14:00.
VIP tickets cost N$500 and general tickets are selling for N$50.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
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