Pro-boxers to invade Namibia

FREDERICK KEBADIRETSE
Staff Writer | Wednesday June 12, 2013 00:00

 

Former amateur boxers Tefo Letshikgwane and Kgomotso Bok will be making their professional boxing debuts alongside reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) Pan African champion, Lesley Sekotswe who will be fighting a title bout. The three boxers travel to Windhoek under Bond Boxing Promotions owned by Bond Ngubula.Sekotswe,whose long awaited World Boxing Federation (WBF) World Junior Bantamweight Title seems a far- fetched dream will be playing a rematch of the International Boxing Council (IBC) Inter Bantamweight title with Namibian Immanuel Naidja.

The two fought earlier in the year with their bout ending in a draw. Letshikgwane will fight Nathaniel Kamati in the bantamweight non-title bout while Bok will square up against Japhet Utoni in the flyweight category.The two boxers were unveiled to the media in a press briefing yesterday and they promised nothing but fireworks in their debut fights. Speaking at the unveiling of the boxers, Bond Promotions patron, Dickson Gabanakgosi said pro-boxing is still a new baby that still needs some nurturing and support.

He hailed promoters for a good job in helping the youth to realise they can achieve their dreams through hard work, discipline and making the right choices through sport. He said the biggest challenge is to commercialise pro-boxing and give the boxers an opportunity to make a living out of the sport. He said promoters should try hard to organise bouts locally to help grow the sport. Gabanakgosi also called on sponsors to come on board to support professional boxing. Ngubula, who currently has six boxers under his belt, said he aims to have signed 10 boxers by the end of the year. He said they are facing a mammoth of a task to organise at least two fights for each boxer in a year. He said Botswana have over the years produced very good boxers who have the potential to be world champions.

He said they plan to stage a pro-boxing tournament in Botswana before the end of the year. Meanwhile Ngubula said they have partnered with At & T Monnakgotla to assist transport supporters to Windhoek with some discounted packages ranging from P1, 570 for two people sharing and P2, 180 for singles.The package includes two-night accommodation, breakfast and a ticket to the bouts.