Namibian boxing among top on African continent

NAMIBIA is the only country apart from South Africa that boasts with a World Boxing Organisation (WBO) African champion, it was confirmed at the WBO Annual Convention in Budapest, Hungary recently.

The deputy chairman of the Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (NPBWCB), Ellison Hijarunguru, who attended the convention towards the end of last month, confirmed that Namibian lightweight boxer Jatoorora Tjingaveta is among the very few African champions under that boxing umbrella body.Upon his return, Hijarunguru also confirmed that Tjingaveta now holds a number 10 ranking in the overall WBO rankings.Namibia’s welterweight boxer Ali Nuumbembe will fight for another WBO Africa title this weekend in Windhoek when he meets South Africa’s Samuel Malinga.’Great thanks to his trainer, manager and promoter,’ said Hijarunguru, adding that Namibia attended the convention through the initiative of the WBO Africa representative and fourth vice president, Andrew Smale.The convention serves as the annual general meeting of the controlling body and had more than 250 delegates from 25 countries across the world. Delegates varied from administrators, commissioners, medical and ring doctors, referees, judges, promoters, trainers, agents and many others in involved in the sport.He said NPBWCB in conjunction with the WBO look forward to sanctioning many more WBO Africa fights in Namibia and producing champions in the not too distance future.Hijarunguru also revealed current Namibian boxing president Kelly Nghixulifwa has been appointed on the WBO Championship Committee.Nghixulifwa is also the chairman of the NPBWCB.Meanwhile, Namibian boxing chief executive Joe Kaperu was confirmed as a recognised WBO referee, while Hijarunguru was confirmed onto the organisation’s Rating Committee.’The Namibian Boxing Control Board is further proud to be involved in such high-level deliberations in the world of boxing and would like to thank its stakeholders, especially the Government of Namibia through the Ministry of Sport, for its continuous support,’ Hijarunguru said. The convention deliberated on issues such as rules and regulations, female boxing as well as some legal issues.’Some other items on the agenda included activities of the Ratings Committee where submissions from promoters, managers and agents from across the globe were heard on behalf of the boxers,’ he said.