Reality check for Nam boxers

Two Namibian boxing champions lost titles to international opposition at the Harambee Coastal Boxing Bonanza staged by Salute Boxing Academy in Walvis Bay over the weekend. Deniz ‘El Pistolero’ Ilbay from Germany beat Namibian Bethuel ‘Tyson’ Uushona to become the new WBF Welterweight world champion during the early hours of Sunday morning in Walvis Bay. Two judges scored the 12 rounds WBF world title fight 115-113 and 117-111 in favour of Ilbay while judge Ricky Tshabalala scored the fight 118-110 in favour of Uushona. The result had Namibian boxing fans crying foul and accusing the judges of being biased towards the Namibian contender. The police hurriedly intervened and escorted officials to safety. A smiling Ilbay went into the fight with 15 wins and 1 loss and attacked from the onset. He had the former WBO Africa title holder Uushona, who boasted a fighting record of 35 wins, 4 loses and 1 draw, constantly against the ropes. The Namibian lost his balance and slipped twice early in the fight. The German also cornered Uushona on a few occasions during the fight and attacked relentlessly. The strategy clearly paid off and landed him the title in the end. Uushona relied on his experience and used the ropes to his advantage. He sent the advancing German reeling with a powerful left uppercut in the fourth round but could not land the knockout punch that would have ended the fight prematurely and in his favour. Ilbay recovered and despite a number of left right combinations landed by Uushona kept on moving forward constantly. He pressurised Uushona and had the Namibian dodging punches and on the back foot for much of the twelve rounds. No energyOscar Chauke from South Africa, who had a professional fighting record of 34 wins, 11 loses and 3 draws, also defeated Namibia’s Abraham ‘Energy’ Ndaendapo with a record of 15 wins and 2 loses via a split decision over 12 rounds and won the WBF Junior Lightweight belt. Judges Marcel Nartz scored the WBF International title fight 114-113 and Timo Haikonda scored 115-112 in favour of Chauke. Rassie Erasmus scored it 117-112 in favour of Ndaendapo. In other none title fights, South African Rofhiwe Maemu (9 wins, 5 loses and 2 draws) knocked Gotlieb Ndokosho (17 wins, 4 loses and 1 no contest) out in the third round of their Featherweight fight. Nathanael Kakololo defeated Johannes Niikoti (Namibia) with a unanimous decision in a Featherweight fight over 10 rounds. David Shinuna (Namibia) defeated Kagiso Tebogo (Botswana) with a unanimous decision in a Featherweight fight over six rounds. Nathaniel Sebastian defeated Joseph Joseph with a technical knockout in the third round of a Junior Lightweight fight Immanuel Joseph defeated Sakaria Shipanga in a knockout in the first round in a Flyweight fight. OTIS FINCK

Reality check for Nam boxers

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-04

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Reality check for Nam boxers

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-04

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