Tyson, Smokey aim for tops in US

TWO professional Namibian boxers are hoping to make it big in the United States of America this year after spending seven months in that country in a quest for stardom.

Namibian welterweight champion Betuel ‘Tyson’ Ushona and Joseph ‘Smokey’ Hilongwa Jeremia are aiming to land at least six fights each this year, after only having one fight apiece since signing three-year contracts with the US-based Ringside boxing stable last year. Ushona knocked down his opponent in the third round in his first fight in the US in the latter half of last year, while Jeremia got a win after his opponent pulled out before the fight.Ushona and Jeremia told The Namibian Sport yesterday that they decided to go overseas to expose themselves to the real world of boxing in the US and were based in Boston under the watchful eye of trainer Shaun Fitzgerald.”We were given the opportunity of a lifetime when we were signed up by Ringside for three years,” said Ushona.The two boxers will mainly fight as undercards ahead of major contests in that country and are hoping to attract more opponents when they return later this month.Both Ushona and Jeremia are the products of well-known former Namibian boxer-turned-promoter Nestor Tobias.They started as amateurs at the Nestor Tobias Boxing and Fitness Academy and both have shown great talent since they started competing on regional level.Ushona, a welterweight, became a household name after his historic win over Paulus ‘Silent Assassin’ Nuumbembe for the Namibian title in that weight category in 2004.Nuumbembe is also a professional boxer and is based in the United Kingdom.The stocky, but quick-punching Ushona is only 23 this year and says he’d love to have a few more fights in the US for scouts to notice him.”By boxing in the US, one is exposed to different techniques and you pick up a lot of experience as a professional boxer.It was pointless to remain in Namibia because as a boxer there is not much to make a living off,” he said.The dreadlocked Jeremia (24) added that he was happy to be out there because he has now developed into a more “clever and mature” boxer.”I know a lot about the sport now and all I need is just to work hard, keep the focus and ensure that I win as many fights as I can to settle as a professional in the trade,” he said.The two boxers made contact with the Americans after they approached former Namibian light-middleweight champion Harry Simon for any chances to carve their careers outside Namibian borders.Simon, with his many contacts in the US, took them to them to Ringside where they were put to test and then offered contracts.Simon is currently acting as their business manager, but he could not be reached for comment yesterday.Both boxers said they have a lot of respect for Tobias, whom they described as their mentor.The relationship between Tobias and the two boxers was reported to have gone sour after Tobias claimed that Simon had poached his boxers from him.In fact, Tobias was also not on speaking terms with Simon, his childhood friend, after he heard that Simon had intentions of taking the two boxers to the States.”We have a lot of respect for Nestor.He is a good man and we learnt a lot of things about boxing when we started at his gym.Maybe we will work together in the future again.You never know,” said Ushona.Jeremia added that Tobias was a brother and friend and he has no regrets for leaving his camp and joining Ringside.”It is a matter of an opportunity.As a boxer who wants to go pro, one has to make use of the opportunity that presents itself.I took the contract with them because it had a lot of advantages for me,” he said.Ushona knocked down his opponent in the third round in his first fight in the US in the latter half of last year, while Jeremia got a win after his opponent pulled out before the fight.Ushona and Jeremia told The Namibian Sport yesterday that they decided to go overseas to expose themselves to the real world of boxing in the US and were based in Boston under the watchful eye of trainer Shaun Fitzgerald.”We were given the opportunity of a lifetime when we were signed up by Ringside for three years,” said Ushona.The two boxers will mainly fight as undercards ahead of major contests in that country and are hoping to attract more opponents when they return later this month.Both Ushona and Jeremia are the products of well-known former Namibian boxer-turned-promoter Nestor Tobias.They started as amateurs at the Nestor Tobias Boxing and Fitness Academy and both have shown great talent since they started competing on regional level.Ushona, a welterweight, became a household name after his historic win over Paulus ‘Silent Assassin’ Nuumbembe for the Namibian title in that weight category in 2004.Nuumbembe is also a professional boxer and is based in the United Kingdom.The stocky, but quick-punching Ushona is only 23 this year and says he’d love to have a few more fights in the US for scouts to notice him. “By boxing in the US, one is exposed to different techniques and you pick up a lot of experience as a professional boxer.It was pointless to remain in Namibia because as a boxer there is not much to make a living off,” he said.The dreadlocked Jeremia (24) added that he was happy to be out there because he has now developed into a more “clever and mature” boxer.”I know a lot about the sport now and all I need is just to work hard, keep the focus and ensure that I win as many fights as I can to settle as a professional in the trade,” he said.The two boxers made contact with the Americans after they approached former Namibian light-middleweight champion Harry Simon for any chances to carve their careers outside Namibian borders.Simon, with his many contacts in the US, took them to them to Ringside where they were put to test and then offered contracts.Simon is currently acting as their business manager, but he could not be reached for comment yesterday.Both boxers said they have a lot of respect for Tobias, whom they described as their mentor.The relationship between Tobias and the two boxers was reported to have gone sour after Tobias claimed that Simon had poached his boxers from him.In fact, Tobias was also not on speaking terms with Simon, his childhood friend, after he heard that Simon had intentions of taking the two boxers to the States.”We have a lot of respect for Nestor.He is a good man and we learnt a lot of things about boxing when we started at his gym.Maybe we will work together in the future again.You never know,” said Ushona.Jeremia added that Tobias was a brother and friend and he has no regrets for leaving his camp and joining Ringside.”It is a matter of an opportunity.As a boxer who wants to go pro, one has to make use of the opportunity that presents itself.I took the contract with them because it had a lot of advantages for me,” he said.

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