From the Sidelines: Harry Simon is back

HARRY Simon returns to the ring after five years, a move that he believes will revive his boxing career which was brought to an end after injuries in a car accident.

The former world champion is hungry for success, but can he really gather his old form which saw him undefeated in 23 straight fights as a professional? Simon will square up against Stephan Nzuemba of Gabon at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Saturday, in a supporting bout to Kanime Kanime and Tyson Ushona’s fight. In fact, Simon is so far the best professional boxer Namibia has ever produced and it remains to be seen if he has the guts and determination to pull it through in the demanding world of boxing.The soft-spoken boxer, who is generally humble from the ring, has repeatedly said that he will be on top of the world again, but his chances will depend on his commitment to the cause.The fight against Nzuemba will be expected to bring out the old flashes of brilliance that Simon produced in the ring.He is known for his quick, powerful punches.He rarely backs down if he is cornered and was always forthcoming.He is indeed a natural boxer who performed in his trade with distinction.But on Saturday, Simon has the daunting task of showing all this traits as he truly wants to prove the public wrong that he has moved away from his ‘bad boy’ antics.The boxer is a true champion, but his unfortunate car accidents, coupled with being on the wrong side of the law due to his somewhat wayward social behaviour, Simon has to prove a point tomorrow.He has the chance to go out there to firstly put the record straight that he is still a boxer of great calibre.That will somehow give him the hope of going a step further, while it will help a great deal in changing the perception of the public that he is a lost cause.His image has largely been dented by his activities from the ring, but on the look of things, Simon has gathered himself and is now looking at taking another shot in what used to be his beloved sport.He confessed that he still loves boxing a great deal and last year, also announced that he has repented.God, he said, is his inspiration and guides him.With this, Simon has demonstrated that he is now a changed man after he realised that he was on a path which did little to cast his life in a positive light.In boxing, things don’t come easy and Simon knows it, but he still thinks that he will make it to the top one day.It will be a tough journey for Simon who still needs to work a lot in the gym to bring down his weight, but with the right coach and managers around him, he can see himself making strides to the top again.Some of his buddies have left, but some stood with him through the tough times, but these tough times should be a thing of the past for Simon as he has a tough personality which can last.The fight on Saturday can also further instill the hope in his management and sponsors that he can make it a welcome back to the sport.Making it to the top not only depends from his desire to get there, but the nation should also give him a chance in realising this effort.He has done well for his country by putting it on the world boxing map and he deserves another chance to prove himself.Although he has done bad in the public eye with his actions, unfortunately causing human lives in the car accidents, Simon has possibly learnt the tough lessons of life from these and aims to rectify the situation by setting forth his career.By coming back to the ring, his colleagues and mentors have all given him a chance, so it will be good for Simon to grab this and make something special out of it.It will just be great if he takes responsibility and strives to do the good.Some will disagree that he does not deserve another chance, but after all, he is a human being and is not perfect.So Harry, go out there and make things happen for yourself and your country again.You can still make it !In fact, Simon is so far the best professional boxer Namibia has ever produced and it remains to be seen if he has the guts and determination to pull it through in the demanding world of boxing.The soft-spoken boxer, who is generally humble from the ring, has repeatedly said that he will be on top of the world again, but his chances will depend on his commitment to the cause.The fight against Nzuemba will be expected to bring out the old flashes of brilliance that Simon produced in the ring.He is known for his quick, powerful punches.He rarely backs down if he is cornered and was always forthcoming.He is indeed a natural boxer who performed in his trade with distinction.But on Saturday, Simon has the daunting task of showing all this traits as he truly wants to prove the public wrong that he has moved away from his ‘bad boy’ antics.The boxer is a true champion, but his unfortunate car accidents, coupled with being on the wrong side of the law due to his somewhat wayward social behaviour, Simon has to prove a point tomorrow.He has the chance to go out there to firstly put the record straight that he is still a boxer of great calibre.That will somehow give him the hope of going a step further, while it will help a great deal in changing the perception of the public that he is a lost cause.His image has largely been dented by his activities from the ring, but on the look of things, Simon has gathered himself and is now looking at taking another shot in what used to be his beloved sport.He confessed that he still loves boxing a great deal and last year, also announced that he has repented.God, he said, is his inspiration and guides him.With this, Simon has demonstrated that he is now a changed man after he realised that he was on a path which did little to cast his life in a positive light.In boxing, things don’t come easy and Simon knows it, but he still thinks that he will make it to the top one day.It will be a tough journey for Simon who still needs to work a lot in the gym to bring down his weight, but with the right coach and managers around him, he can see himself making strides to the top again.Some of his buddies have left, but some stood with him through the tough times, but these tough times should be a thing of the past for Simon as he has a tough personality which can last.The fight on Saturday can also further instill the hope in his management and sponsors that he can make it a welcome back to the sport.Making it to the top not only depends from his desire to get there, but the nation should also give him a chance in realising this effort.He has done well for his country by putting it on the world boxing map and he deserves another chance to prove himself.Although he has done bad in the public eye with his actions, unfortunately causing human lives in the car accidents, Simon has possibly learnt the tough lessons of life from these and aims to rectify the situation by setting forth his career.By coming back to the ring, his colleagues and mentors have all given him a chance, so it will be good for Simon to grab this and make something special out of it.It will just be great if he takes responsibility and strives to do the good.Some will disagree that he does not deserve another chance, but after all, he is a human being and is not perfect.So Harry, go out there and make things happen for yourself and your country again.You can still make it !