Namibians counsel Indongo
The Namibian boxing fraternity has encouraged defeated former WBA, IBF and IBO world champion Julius 'Blue Machine' Indongo to move on after losing his belts.
The Namibian lost to America's Terrence 'Bud' Crawford by a third-round knockout in the WBA, IBF, WBC and WBO super lightweight title unification bout in Lincoln, Nebraska over the weekend.
Indongo became the third Namibian to lose a world title fight given that Paulus Hitman and Paulus Ambunda had all lost valuable belts in the past.
Moses lost his WBA lightweight title in 2009, while Ambunda lost the WBO world bantamweight title in 2013. Ambunda also lost the IBO supper bantamweight title last year.
“Losing a world title fight is not an easy thing to digest, but we just have to accept that it is part of sports.
“I have known Indongo since he was an amateur fighter and I do believe that he will bounce back.
“I have lost before and the only thing one can do is forgive yourself and go back to the drawing board,” Ambunda said.
After Ambunda lost his belt to Tamoki Kameda, he bounced back to win the IBO super bantamweight world title in 2015.
The boxer lost the title again, to Mexico's Moises Flores in 2016, and is trying to rejuvenate his career.
In 2015, Joseph 'Smokey' Hilongwa lost an important fight against fellow Namibian Immanuel Naidjala in a WBO Africa bantamweight title fight.
Hilongwa believes that just as he got over that important title fight, Indongo will rise again.
“It is one of the most difficult times for a boxer because you feel like you have let yourself and the nation down.
“My advice to Indongo is to take a small break to digest everything before he returns to the gym.
“The first professional defeat is always hard to take in. I do believe that Indongo still has what it takes to win more titles,” Hilongwa said.
Kinda Nangolo of Kinda Promotions expressed disappointment with the outcome of the fight but said Indongo had done what he could.
“Some people are saying that the boxer only went there for the money and that is why he went down in the third round.
“That is pure nonsense because I do believe that he did his best and we all believed and still believe in him even after the fight.
“It was never his intention to lose and I believe he just lost because the other boxer was more prepared and had the home-ground advantage.
“The good thing is that Indongo has tasted what it is to be the centre of global attention and that will motivate him to make a comeback,” Nangolo said.
JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA
The Namibian lost to America's Terrence 'Bud' Crawford by a third-round knockout in the WBA, IBF, WBC and WBO super lightweight title unification bout in Lincoln, Nebraska over the weekend.
Indongo became the third Namibian to lose a world title fight given that Paulus Hitman and Paulus Ambunda had all lost valuable belts in the past.
Moses lost his WBA lightweight title in 2009, while Ambunda lost the WBO world bantamweight title in 2013. Ambunda also lost the IBO supper bantamweight title last year.
“Losing a world title fight is not an easy thing to digest, but we just have to accept that it is part of sports.
“I have known Indongo since he was an amateur fighter and I do believe that he will bounce back.
“I have lost before and the only thing one can do is forgive yourself and go back to the drawing board,” Ambunda said.
After Ambunda lost his belt to Tamoki Kameda, he bounced back to win the IBO super bantamweight world title in 2015.
The boxer lost the title again, to Mexico's Moises Flores in 2016, and is trying to rejuvenate his career.
In 2015, Joseph 'Smokey' Hilongwa lost an important fight against fellow Namibian Immanuel Naidjala in a WBO Africa bantamweight title fight.
Hilongwa believes that just as he got over that important title fight, Indongo will rise again.
“It is one of the most difficult times for a boxer because you feel like you have let yourself and the nation down.
“My advice to Indongo is to take a small break to digest everything before he returns to the gym.
“The first professional defeat is always hard to take in. I do believe that Indongo still has what it takes to win more titles,” Hilongwa said.
Kinda Nangolo of Kinda Promotions expressed disappointment with the outcome of the fight but said Indongo had done what he could.
“Some people are saying that the boxer only went there for the money and that is why he went down in the third round.
“That is pure nonsense because I do believe that he did his best and we all believed and still believe in him even after the fight.
“It was never his intention to lose and I believe he just lost because the other boxer was more prepared and had the home-ground advantage.
“The good thing is that Indongo has tasted what it is to be the centre of global attention and that will motivate him to make a comeback,” Nangolo said.
JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA
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