Haikali swaps goalkeeper gloves for boxing gloves

Football’s loss was boxing’s gain after Martin ‘Black Poison’ Haikali quit playing goalkeeper and started boxing, establishing himself as one of the finest boxers to have come out of Namibia.

Born at Outapi and raised at Okalongo village, the former national lightweight boxing champion initially played football for the Onembaba Combined School team before deciding to focus on boxing.

“I was a goalkeeper, a very good one for that matter. Unfortunately, I didn’t play beyond my school years because the boxing bug bit me. I don’t really like team sports and I had fighting in me,” Haikali says.

“Not that I would go around beating people on the streets; I was just fascinated by the art of boxing. I moved to Walvis Bay to stay with my brother at the age of 17, and that’s how I was introduced to boxing. I used to go watch Harry Simon train and tried to imitate him.”

Haikali says he frequented the gym, but only as a spectator, until Simon asked him one day whether he liked boxing, to which he answered ‘yes’. Simon then asked him to put on the gloves and spar against one of his toughest boxers.

It was his very first day in the ring, and he was tasked with squaring up against Bartholomeus Kashimbulu. Although it was a tough test, he succeeded in impressing Simon during the encounter, and that is how he became a member of the Harry Simon Academy in 2003.

“Harry praised me for my bravery and fighting spirit. Bartholomeus was one of the toughest young boxers but I decided that day that I was not going to give up. When I woke up the next morning my whole body was aching,” he says.

“I could not believe my ears when our former world champion invited me to join his academy. We were living in the same street and Simon would always invite me to run with him.”

Haikali moved to Windhoek in 2005, where he joined the Soweto Boxing Club and met some of Namibia’s top boxers, including Moses ‘Hitman’ Paulus, Paulus ‘The Rock’ Ambunda, Tyson Uushona and Japhet Uutoni.

But it was during his years with Simon that Haikali made his debut as a national champion. He became part of the Namibian team that represented the country in numerous tournaments and championships on the continent.

“I made sure I was always in excellent condition before a fight. I trained very hard. I went to a couple of African championships in Botswana and Zambia,” he says.

“My opponents were wary of my power and I was particularly accurate. I packed a devastating left hook. I really had dynamite in my fists. I qualified for the Olympics, but I must say the competition there is no child’s play. I returned home empty-handed.”

Haikali attributes most of his success in the ring to his mobility and the fact that he was quick to sum up his opponent. He says he had a successful professional career which was only spoiled by the fact that he did not win the Commonwealth title.

“I craved a Commonwealth Games gold medal during my boxing career. The closest I ever came was in 2016. I got injured while preparing for the title fight against fellow challenger Dave Ryan for the vacant junior welterweight crown,” he says.

The retired champion, who had to move up a weight class after a dominant spell in the superweight category, boasted an impressive record of 18 wins and six defeats from 24 fights at the time.

“I still struggle to get over that disappointment but at least I am a proud holder of two African titles. I first won the World Boxing Organisation Africa lightweight title before I followed it up with the World Boxing Association Africa title with promoter Nestor Tobias.”

Haikali cites Simon as the boxer who influenced his career, adding that he enjoyed watching his fights, and he describes Jatoorora Tjingaveta, who was based in South Africa at the time, as his toughest opponent in the professional ranks.

“I faced off against Tjingaveta in my three most brutal fights as a professional boxer. He really gave me a good run for my money. I lost our first fight, then I called for a rematch and I knocked him out in the third round. He asked for a rematch and I beat him again,” he says.

“Then there was this other cruel confrontation against Ghanaian champion Sam Amoako. What made matters worse is that I had to go fight him in front of a partisan crowd in his own backyard in Accra. He had the entire crowd behind him and I was only with Nestor.”

Haikali says his longest winning streak was eight consecutive wins before losing to Amoako in their second confrontation.

The father of five has been a warrant officer in the emergency response unit of the Namibian Police since 2012.

Haikali, who still hits the gym frequently, says he is happy with the way his life panned out after boxing.

Although still disappointed that he never had the opportunity to compete for a lucrative world title, he is happy with the titles he has won both in Namibia and across the continent.

He says of all the national team and club stablemates he has had over the years, he is only still in touch with his former promoter, Tobias.

Haikali has the following advice for today’s boxers: “Boxing is a very good sport and it will take you to places you could only dream about.”

“It is one sport where you can only blame yourself when you lose because you are fighting on your own. I don’t watch soccer but I would occasionally switch to the wrestling channels,” he says.

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