National team boxers shine at Swakop

THE New Year Champ of Champs boxing tournament, which was staged by the Namibia National Amateur Boxing Federation at Swakopmund over the weekend, was as a resounding success.

That was the view of NNABF spokesperson Ambrossius Kandjii, who was speaking to The Namibian Sport shortly after the tournament which provided boxing fans with 13 exciting fights. Said Kandjii: “This was truly a tournament which definitely served each purpose and, considering the fact that it was only the first event of the new year, the boxers were in fine form.”This tournament certainly gave us a clear indication of the fitness level of our boxers.I must say that I am pleased with their form and we are going into our final preparations in a very positive mood.”Apart from assessing the fitness of the national team boxers, the tournament also served as a platform for those who did not make it into the team earlier to impress the national selectors.The national team squared up against the Erongo Region Boxing Development Club and five fighters of the said club proved on the night that they were good enough for the national team.And as the Erongo Governor Dawid Nuuyoma, himself a boxing fanatic, said afterwards: “our boxers in the Erongo region are very good physically but they should work more on the technical and tactical aspect of the sport.”The Governor could not have been more correct as the event clearly proved to the jam-packed Meduletu Community Hall crowd that the region has talented fighters.They match their national team counterparts in the fitness and physical aspect of the game, but they lacked in their technical approach, a point which the national team exploited.But the night certainly belonged to up-and-coming welterweight Bume Shitaleni, who had the home crowd in raptures with his excellent form during his fight against Axas Shivolo.Shitaleni not only won the fight but he also won himself a place in the national team, making short shrift of Shivolo’s presence in the team that is representing Namibia in the Zone Six tournament.But Shitaleni’s victory was an isolated case, as the national team dominated the other 10 fights, which they won convincingly.Light-middleweight Desmond Kasuto proved why he is rated so highly when he took on two opponents on the same night and won both fights in excellent fashion.The boxer from the North showed power and stamina as he totally outclassed his first opponent of the evening, Holyfield Toivo, before he used his technical superiority effectively to beat Silas Hangula in the second bout.But the fight of the night turned out to be the middleweight bout featuring the exciting Johannes Mwetupunga, who taught Ben Nekare a boxing lesson in the last fight of the event.Mwetupunga, like Kasuto, also fought twice during the event.He beat Phillip Sapoli in his first fight.Mwetupunga proved too good and strong for Nekare, whom he had in all sorts of trouble right from the opening round.The fight featuring Martin Haikali of the national team and Michael Sikusa also had the enthusiastic Swakop crowd shouting for more.Full results: Light-flyweight – Japhet Uutoni defeated Alfeus Gabriel.Light-middleweight – Desmond Kasuto defeated Holyfield Toivo.Middleweight – Johannes Mwetupunga defeated Phillip Sapoli.Featherweight – Iilende Andreas defeated Isack Wombulu; Johannes Gabriel defeated Sam Kamponde; Immanuel Naindjala defeated Abraham Ndaendapo; Albino Jojo defeated Sackey Shikwutu.Lightweight – Jatotora Tjingaete defeated ‘The Rock’ Seibeb; Petrus Mashona defeated Martin Niitembu.Welterweight – Martin Haikali defeated Michael Sikusa; Bume Shitaleni defeated Axas Shivolo.Light-middleweight – Desmond Kasuto defeated Silas Hangula.Middleweight – Johannes Mwetupunga defeated Ben Nekare.Said Kandjii: “This was truly a tournament which definitely served each purpose and, considering the fact that it was only the first event of the new year, the boxers were in fine form.”This tournament certainly gave us a clear indication of the fitness level of our boxers.I must say that I am pleased with their form and we are going into our final preparations in a very positive mood.”Apart from assessing the fitness of the national team boxers, the tournament also served as a platform for those who did not make it into the team earlier to impress the national selectors.The national team squared up against the Erongo Region Boxing Development Club and five fighters of the said club proved on the night that they were good enough for the national team.And as the Erongo Governor Dawid Nuuyoma, himself a boxing fanatic, said afterwards: “our boxers in the Erongo region are very good physically but they should work more on the technical and tactical aspect of the sport.”The Governor could not have been more correct as the event clearly proved to the jam-packed Meduletu Community Hall crowd that the region has talented fighters.They match their national team counterparts in the fitness and physical aspect of the game, but they lacked in their technical approach, a point which the national team exploited.But the night certainly belonged to up-and-coming welterweight Bume Shitaleni, who had the home crowd in raptures with his excellent form during his fight against Axas Shivolo.Shitaleni not only won the fight but he also won himself a place in the national team, making short shrift of Shivolo’s presence in the team that is representing Namibia in the Zone Six tournament.But Shitaleni’s victory was an isolated case, as the national team dominated the other 10 fights, which they won convincingly.Light-middleweight Desmond Kasuto proved why he is rated so highly when he took on two opponents on the same night and won both fights in excellent fashion.The boxer from the North showed power and stamina as he totally outclassed his first opponent of the evening, Holyfield Toivo, before he used his technical superiority effectively to beat Silas Hangula in the second bout.But the fight of the night turned out to be the middleweight bout featuring the exciting Johannes Mwetupunga, who taught Ben Nekare a boxing lesson in the last fight of the event.Mwetupunga, like Kasuto, also fought twice during the event.He beat Phillip Sapoli in his first fight.Mwetupunga proved too good and strong for Nekare, whom he had in all sorts of trouble right from the opening round.The fight featuring Martin Haikali of the national team and Michael Sikusa also had the enthusiastic Swakop crowd shouting for more.Full results: Light-flyweight – Japhet Uutoni defeated Alfeus Gabriel.Light-middleweight – Desmond Kasuto defeated Holyfield Toivo.Middleweight – Johannes Mwetupunga defeated Phillip Sapoli.Featherweight – Iilende Andreas defeated Isack Wombulu; Johannes Gabriel defeated Sam Kamponde; Immanuel Naindjala defeated Abraham Ndaendapo; Albino Jojo defeated Sackey Shikwutu.Lightweight – Jatotora Tjingaete defeated ‘The Rock’ Seibeb; Petrus Mashona defeated Martin Niitembu.Welterweight – Martin Haikali defeated Michael Sikusa; Bume Shitaleni defeated Axas Shivolo.Light-middleweight – Desmond Kasuto defeated Silas Hangula.Middleweight – Johannes Mwetupunga defeated Ben Nekare.