Telecom invests in boxing

TELECOM Namibia yesterday sponsored a further N$60 000 for the hosting of the popular Box ‘n Dine Boxing Extravaganza on August 11, bringing its total sponsorship to N$210 000.

Telecom Namibia earlier sponsored the event with N$150 000, but increase the sponsorship considering the magnitude of the event, which will involve a title fight and several professional bouts. The Nestor Sunshine Tobias Boxing and Fitness Academy is organising the event in collaboration with the telecommunications company, which turned 15 years old yesterday.The main bout will be a 12-rounder which will see Namibia’s Jason ‘Taks’ Naule defending his WBA Pan-African junior welterweight title, against Pius ‘Dida’ Dibeka of South Africa.Naule works for the Ministry of Safety and Security, while Dibeka works for the South African police.Naule has had 11 fights with no defeats, while the more experienced Dibeka boasts with 18 fights – 14 wins, three losses and one draw.There will be nine other professional fights on the night.The supporting bout will see Wilberforce ‘Black Mamba’ Shihepo going up against Tinei Mharidzo from Zimbabwe over six rounds in the middleweight category.Boxing promoter and coach Nestor Tobias said the event will also serve as a fundraiser for the academy.A table for six goes for N$3 000, while an individual ticket will cost N$500.He said the money will be used to send Namibian boxers to European countries for fights.They include super-middleweight boxer Vikapita Meroro and others who do not have sponsorships.He thanked Telecom Namibia for injecting an additional amount and asked the corporate world to invest in the sport, with the aim of uplifting its standards.The acting chairman of the Namibia Amateur Boxing Federation (NABF), Ambrosius Kandjii, noted that Telecom Namibia does not only look at the professional level of boxing, but has also made a commitment to assist the code on the developmental level.”We are happy that Telecom Namibia has put money into development so that we can have better boxers for tomorrow,” he said.When asked why Namibian boxers are mostly pitted against South Africans in numerous boxing events held in Namibia, Tobias said it was because of their good qualities and the proximity of that county.”We have good communication with that country and we’re also getting good competition from them.Other neighbouring countries such as Lesotho, Malawi and Botswana do not have the best of facilities for their boxers and this makes them not competitive enough,” he said.Namibia has about 50 registered professional boxers and the figure is growing each year, according Kandjii.He said it was a bit disappointing on the amateur level, as boxers are not filtering through from the grassroots level to fill in the gaps of boxers who graduate to become professionals.”We need to do something now on the grassroots level and this will require a lot of money.That’s why we are asking the corporate world to invest in boxing for the sport to flourish,” he said.The Nestor Sunshine Tobias Boxing and Fitness Academy is organising the event in collaboration with the telecommunications company, which turned 15 years old yesterday.The main bout will be a 12-rounder which will see Namibia’s Jason ‘Taks’ Naule defending his WBA Pan-African junior welterweight title, against Pius ‘Dida’ Dibeka of South Africa.Naule works for the Ministry of Safety and Security, while Dibeka works for the South African police.Naule has had 11 fights with no defeats, while the more experienced Dibeka boasts with 18 fights – 14 wins, three losses and one draw.There will be nine other professional fights on the night.The supporting bout will see Wilberforce ‘Black Mamba’ Shihepo going up against Tinei Mharidzo from Zimbabwe over six rounds in the middleweight category.Boxing promoter and coach Nestor Tobias said the event will also serve as a fundraiser for the academy.A table for six goes for N$3 000, while an individual ticket will cost N$500.He said the money will be used to send Namibian boxers to European countries for fights.They include super-middleweight boxer Vikapita Meroro and others who do not have sponsorships.He thanked Telecom Namibia for injecting an additional amount and asked the corporate world to invest in the sport, with the aim of uplifting its standards.The acting chairman of the Namibia Amateur Boxing Federation (NABF), Ambrosius Kandjii, noted that Telecom Namibia does not only look at the professional level of boxing, but has also made a commitment to assist the code on the developmental level.”We are happy that Telecom Namibia has put money into development so that we can have better boxers for tomorrow,” he said.When asked why Namibian boxers are mostly pitted against South Africans in numerous boxing events held in Namibia, Tobias said it was because of their good qualities and the proximity of that county.”We have good communication with that country and we’re also getting good competition from them.Other neighbouring countries such as Lesotho, Malawi and Botswana do not have the best of facilities for their boxers and this makes them not competitive enough,” he said.Namibia has about 50 registered professional boxers and the figure is growing each year, according Kandjii.He said it was a bit disappointing on the amateur level, as boxers are not filtering through from the grassroots level to fill in the gaps of boxers who graduate to become professionals.”We need to do something now on the grassroots level and this will require a lot of money.That’s why we are asking the corporate world to invest in boxing for the sport to flourish,” he said.