Harry Simon returns to the ring

NAMIBIA’S former world champion boxer Harry Simon will make his long-awaited comeback at the Benam Boxing Tournament at the Sam Nujoma Stadium tomorrow evening.

Simon, who last fought more than five years ago, is still undefeated as a professional boxer with a record of 23 victories from 23 fights. He will come up against Stephan Nzuemba of Gabon, who has an impressive record of 11 wins and one loss from 12 fights.At a press conference in Windhoek yesterday, Simon said that he was ready for the fight.”I am ready.My body is maybe only 95 per cent ready, because of the pain I carried inside me.But I am fit and ready for the fight,” he said, adding that he knew nothing about his opponent.Simon said that he had prepared hard for the fight and was in good shape.”I have been training all the time and my mind has always been on this fight.I am sure that I can reach the top again – that’s what I’m training for,” he said.Simon said he was only 32 years old and aimed to fight for at least another eight years.”Age is not a factor.Today you get 40- or 50-year-old boxers fighting.I was born in 1974 – people thought I am older, but at a stage I had to fake my age to get a job in Oranjemund.I’m only 32 and I plan to fight till I’m 40,” he said.”I’ve been out of boxing for the past five years so I don’t know what will happen.But I’m confident and I don’t have any doubts that I’ll win the fight,” he said.Simon will fight in the Super Middleweight category over eight rounds.He said his first two or three fights would be at this weight before he moves down to the middleweight division.Simon’s fight against Nzuemba will be the main supporting bout to a 10-round Namibian welterweight fight between Namibian champion Tyson Uushona and Kanime Kanime.Uushona is still unbeaten after 12 fights, while Kanime has a record of seven wins and seven losses from 14 fights.Another highlight will be the junior middleweight bout between Namibia’s Gottlieb Shileka and South Africa’s former World Boxing Organisation world champion, Jan Bergman.Shileka has a record of 16 fights, 14 victories and 2 losses, while Bergman has 42 wins and 5 defeats from 47 professional fights.There will be a total of ten professional fights, with the first fight starting at 18h30.There will also be live entertainment at the Sam Nujoma Stadium, starting at 12h00 in the afternoon.-www.namibiasport.com.naHe will come up against Stephan Nzuemba of Gabon, who has an impressive record of 11 wins and one loss from 12 fights.At a press conference in Windhoek yesterday, Simon said that he was ready for the fight.”I am ready.My body is maybe only 95 per cent ready, because of the pain I carried inside me.But I am fit and ready for the fight,” he said, adding that he knew nothing about his opponent.Simon said that he had prepared hard for the fight and was in good shape.”I have been training all the time and my mind has always been on this fight.I am sure that I can reach the top again – that’s what I’m training for,” he said.Simon said he was only 32 years old and aimed to fight for at least another eight years.”Age is not a factor.Today you get 40- or 50-year-old boxers fighting.I was born in 1974 – people thought I am older, but at a stage I had to fake my age to get a job in Oranjemund.I’m only 32 and I plan to fight till I’m 40,” he said.”I’ve been out of boxing for the past five years so I don’t know what will happen.But I’m confident and I don’t have any doubts that I’ll win the fight,” he said.Simon will fight in the Super Middleweight category over eight rounds.He said his first two or three fights would be at this weight before he moves down to the middleweight division.Simon’s fight against Nzuemba will be the main supporting bout to a 10-round Namibian welterweight fight between Namibian champion Tyson Uushona and Kanime Kanime.Uushona is still unbeaten after 12 fights, while Kanime has a record of seven wins and seven losses from 14 fights.Another highlight will be the junior middleweight bout between Namibia’s Gottlieb Shileka and South Africa’s former World Boxing Organisation world champion, Jan Bergman.Shileka has a record of 16 fights, 14 victories and 2 losses, while Bergman has 42 wins and 5 defeats from 47 professional fights.There will be a total of ten professional fights, with the first fight starting at 18h30.There will also be live entertainment at the Sam Nujoma Stadium, starting at 12h00 in the afternoon.-www.namibiasport.com.na