Carlos Kambaekwa
29 September 2008
Windhoek — Rookie boxing promoter Dolph Shilunga of Dolph No Limit Boxing Promoters cc, has successfully cleared the first hurdle in the tough and demanding rigours of professional boxing.
In what can be easily described as the most exciting boxing bout in a long time on home soil - Namibia's welterweight champion Bethuel "Tyson" Uushona beat Richard Hwata of Zimbabwe hands down in an action-packed 8-round non- title bout at the A. Shipena Secondary School Hall in Windhoek on Saturday evening.
Uushona looked unstoppable and was a marvel to watch as the rusty boxer who has not fought competitively over a year worked his opponent's body with a flurry of telling blows and stinging uppercuts - much to the delight of the appreciative crowd.
The Namibian boxer seemed to engage a higher gear with each passing round - but the hard as nails former Zimbabwean champion refused point-blankly to yield under the barrage of blows and stood his ground like a wounded tiger.
The fight started at a frantic pace with Uushona looking for an early knock-out. However, the streetwise gap-toothed Zimbabwean boxer proved a tough nut to crack and had the Namibian back paddling with the occasional jab but his punches lacked the necessary power to trouble his opponent.
After eight rounds of blood, sweat and tears, Uushona was crowned the winner with a unanimous points decision after all three judges Hiskia Shigwedha, Jabulani Kakonya and Ricky Tshabalala overwhelmingly ruled in his favour.
In the under card bouts, the eagerly-awaited "Clash of the Titans" in the heavyweight division between Modestus Mwatile and Toivo Kamati was an absolute eyesore for the many boxing fanatics, who flocked into the A Shipena School Hall to witness what was meant to be amongst the highlights of the evening.
There was very little to choose between the two boxers who resembled amateur wrestlers as the seemingly tired and totally out of depth pair resolved to cling onto each other and engaged in shadow boxing rather doing the business of trading blows.
The bout was so boring that the late pair of Ambrose Simon and Crosby Mannetti would not have envied the uninspiring boxers, who unsuccessfully tried to impersonate Katutura's much idolized self-styled street wrestlers.
Mwatile was eventually crowned the winner on a unanimous points decision after four rounds to push his career tally to two wins out of two fights in the paid ranks, whilst Kamati, who was making his debut as a professional boxer, would have to go back to the drawing board and pick up the pieces.
Joseph "Smokey Joe" Hilongwa, better known as Joseph Jeremiah during his amateur days, made a welcome return to the ring.
The pocket size flyweight boxer made short work of his clash against Tinashe Mwadziwana in their four-round non-title bout, and by the second round the Zimbabwean had hit the canvas and looked destined for a battering.
Mwadziwana managed to beat the count and was on his feet again and even though he surprisingly endured the pain inflicted on him and negotiated his way through the full distance - he proved no match for Hilongwa as the Namibian emerged victorious on a unanimous points decision.
In the first all Namibian affair - the hard hitting Peter Malakia took just 2 minutes and 55 seconds to dispatch Phillip Swartbooi in the first round of their lightweight non-title bout.
Malakia floored the Walvis Bay-based boxer, who came into the fight with two defeats and one win from three attempts since turning pro. Swartbooi found the going tough and made heavy contact with mother gravity after a combination of punches to his head, which prompted referee Timo Haikonda to decide that he had seen enough by signalling the end of the contest.
Namibian junior lightweight boxer Samuel "the Hammer" Kapapu taught his opponent Tendai Sanyarukova some boxing lessons as he hammered the hell out the Zimbabwean during their four-round bout. Kapapu easily won on a unanimous points decision to push his tally to two wins out of three fights in the paid ranks.
Festus Nghidinwa defeated Chris Ukera in a closely-contested lightweight bout in the amateur division, while Bigman Marenga also came out tops against Frans Koolike in another light weight bout.
Welterweight boxer Mr Bean Shangla easily waltzed past Jackson Nambinga in the last of three amateur fights on the under cards.
Boxing is certainly growing in leaps and bounds with the number of women not only increasing in attendance but in participation. Three female judges were at ringside and acquitted themselves with great aplomb during Saturday night's amateur bouts.
The trio Rosa Meroro, Bertha Ngihalwa and Martha Venasius are enthusiastic about the prospects of local boxing and say their ultimate aim is to be involved in professional boxing in the not too distant future.
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