Simon might fight in four to six months

NAMIBIA’S former World Boxing Organisation (WBO middleweight champion Harry Simon, is expected to step into the ring within four to six months, his manager said yesterday.

Simon has been out of action for about two years after he suffered a broken leg and arm in a freak accident between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund at the end of 2002. His WBO middleweight title was ultimately taken away from him and awarded to Argentina’s Hector Velasco, but Simon will have the first option to fight for it, provided he reverts back into action.Simon’s Manager, Ellison Hijarunguru yesterday told The Namibian Sport that the former champion boxer is recovering well and has started light training at the Virgin Atlantic Gym in Johannesburg, South Africa.”He has been given a clean bill by his doctor and is currently doing some aerobic exercises and has also started jogging.He is expected to start with training in the ring within a short period.But at the moment, he is following a strict exercise programme to ensure that he is fully recovered and ready to start boxing again,” he said.Hijarunguru said Simon will first go for a warm-up fight against an opponent which still needs to be identified.”Simon’s promoter Frank Warren will decide on the opponent for the fight which will preferably be held in Namibia,” he said.The Namibian boxer has been out of the ring for about two years now, and according to Hijarunguru, Simon is “extremely excited about coming back to the ring.”He said Simon, who is 32 this year, has not hinted on retiring as yet as he wants to reclaim his title before he takes a shot on renowned boxers such as Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins.Simon is initially eyeing the super middleweight division before he calls it quits.”Simon wants to go for bigger things and we are optimistic that he will be able to perform excellently on whoever he is to take on or whoever is in line to challenge him,” he said.Simon, born in Walvis Bay, worked his way up from humble beginnings to become one of the most remarkable sportsmen Namibia has ever produced on the boxing front.However, the boxer’s career has been dodged by numerous club brawls and two major car accidents that also took the lives of other people.One of the car accident cases is still pending.Hijarunguru said Simon has shown a strong desire to become one a leading example in his trade, “despite the unfortunate eventualities that he had to deal with in his career outside the boxing ring.”Simon was in South Africa and could not be reached for comment yesterday.His WBO middleweight title was ultimately taken away from him and awarded to Argentina’s Hector Velasco, but Simon will have the first option to fight for it, provided he reverts back into action.Simon’s Manager, Ellison Hijarunguru yesterday told The Namibian Sport that the former champion boxer is recovering well and has started light training at the Virgin Atlantic Gym in Johannesburg, South Africa.”He has been given a clean bill by his doctor and is currently doing some aerobic exercises and has also started jogging.He is expected to start with training in the ring within a short period.But at the moment, he is following a strict exercise programme to ensure that he is fully recovered and ready to start boxing again,” he said.Hijarunguru said Simon will first go for a warm-up fight against an opponent which still needs to be identified.”Simon’s promoter Frank Warren will decide on the opponent for the fight which will preferably be held in Namibia,” he said.The Namibian boxer has been out of the ring for about two years now, and according to Hijarunguru, Simon is “extremely excited about coming back to the ring.”He said Simon, who is 32 this year, has not hinted on retiring as yet as he wants to reclaim his title before he takes a shot on renowned boxers such as Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins.Simon is initially eyeing the super middleweight division before he calls it quits.”Simon wants to go for bigger things and we are optimistic that he will be able to perform excellently on whoever he is to take on or whoever is in line to challenge him,” he said.Simon, born in Walvis Bay, worked his way up from humble beginnings to become one of the most remarkable sportsmen Namibia has ever produced on the boxing front.However, the boxer’s career has been dodged by numerous club brawls and two major car accidents that also took the lives of other people.One of the car accident cases is still pending.Hijarunguru said Simon has shown a strong desire to become one a leading example in his trade, “despite the unfortunate eventualities that he had to deal with in his career outside the boxing ring.” Simon was in South Africa and could not be reached for comment yesterday.