Paulus Ambunda will be aiming to win his second world title when he takes on Leandro David Esperante for the vacant IBO world super bantamweight title on Saturday night, but he faces a tough customer in the 26-year-old Argentinian.
Esperante has a professional record of 12 wins and four losses, but three of those defeats came early in his career.
Since 2012 he has won six fights in a row, winning the WBO Latino Super bantamweight title in the process.
His winning streak came to an end when he lost the title on a majority points decision in September last year, but he bounced back with two more victories this year.
At 1,75 metres, Esperante will have a distinct height advantage over Ambunda (1,63m), while he has a sharp jab and powerful punch with six of his victories coming via KO or TKO.
Ambunda has an impressive record of 22 wins and only one defeat, but now nearing his 35th birthday, his time for a return to one of the top ranked boxers in the world is running out.
Since he lost the WBO world bantamweight title against Tomoki Kameda two years ago, he has won two fights, but his rating has dropped and of the world’s top-ranked boxing organisations, only the IBF ranks him in their Top 15 at number 12.
Argentinian promoter Patricio Retondaro has brought top class fighters to Namibia in the past, as illustrated by Dario Pucheta’s KO victory against Tyson Ushona last year, and Ambunda will have to be at his best if he hopes to beat Esperante.
Ushona, meanwhile is on the comeback trail and has notched up one win since the defeat to Pucheta, but he, too, will face a tough opponent when he takes on Bongo Lipembo of the DRC for the vacant IBO Africa welterweight title.
The 29-year-old Lipembo lives in Johannesburg where he has fought most of his fights and built up an impressive record.
He lost his first two pro fights but since then has gone on a seven-fight unbeaten streak against some top-class opponents.
In his last fight he knocked out South Africa’s former IBF welterweight world champion Isaac Hlatshwayo in the second round, while he has also beaten former WBF super lightweight world champion Samuel Malinga.
He has a powerful punch as six of his victories have come via KO or TKO, but his last fight was more than three years ago and he could be a bit ring rusty.
Paulus Moses is also on the comeback trail after losing his last fight against Malcolm Klaassen of South Africa in March this year. That was his third defeat in 38 pro fights and at the age of 37 Moses’ time is also running out.
He takes on Sadiki Momba from Tanzania who has a patchy record of 20 wins six losses and two draws.
There will be several other exciting fights on the undercard, with a total of ten fights scheduled for the evening.
Julius Indongo who is still unbeaten after 17 pro fights will defend his WBO Africa junior welterweight title against Jason Bedeman of South Africa, who has a record of 17 wins and 5 losses.
Another hot prospect Walter Kuutondokwa who is also unbeaten after eight fights takes on Reson Hobyani of South Africa in an international middleweight fight over eight rounds.
Seven of Kuutondokwa’s eight wins have come via KO or TKO, but Hobyani also has an impressive record of six victories to date.
The other fights scheduled for the evening are as follows:
Japhet Utoni (9 wins 1 loss) takes on Khanyakude Mukansi of South Africa (8 wins, 12 losses, 2 draws).
Sacky Shikukutu (19 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw) takes on Limbani Masamba of Malawi (11 wins, 3 losses).
Mike Shonena (7 wins) takes on Nicola Mutonhora of Zimbabwe (5 wins, 4 losses), Jeremia Nakathila (8 wins) takes on Paul Maxilana of South Africa (4 wins, 3 losses).
Paulinus Paulus makes his pro debut against Kith Karimbika of Zimbabwe (1 win, 1 loss).
The boxing tournament will take place at the Ramatex Hall, with the first fight scheduled to start at 18h00.
The entrance fee is N$100 for general tickets, N$500 for VIP tickets and N$20 000 for a VIP table seating 10 people with meals, refreshments and wine.
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