WILLBEFORCE Shihepo failed in his attempt to win the Commonwealth light heavyweight boxing title when he was knocked out in the ninth round by Callum Johnson in Manchester on Saturday night.
Johnson knocked Shihepo down with a big right hook and the Namibian was counted out at 2:07 in the ninth round.
Johnson already knocked Shihepo down in the seventh round with a body shot but Shihepo managed to beat the count.
It was not a very convincing performance by Shihepo who was warned and then deducted points for holding in the fifth and the seventh rounds.
Johnson is now unbeaten after 16 pro fights while Shihepo’s record stands at 23 wins and 9 losses.
After the fight, Shihepo’s trainer Nestor Tobias said he had started the fight well but lost concentration which led to the knockout.
“Willbeforce started the fight at a high pace and did well in the first half of the fight. He however lost concentration in round nine when he walked straight into a straight right cross which knocked him out,” he said, adding, “the Black Mamba is well and did not sustain any injuries.”
Tobias thanked Namibian boxing fans for their support.
“The team is expected to arrive back in Namibia on Monday, 26 September. The fight was broadcast live worldwide. We at the MTC Nestor Sunshine Boxing & Fitness Academy wish to thank our boxing fans for the support and we will continue to create opportunities for our boxers and fly our country’s flag high in the international boxing community.”
