New Era

Ndafoluma crowned new WBO champion

…as slick Kakololo reigns supreme

- ■ Maurice Kambukwe

NAMIBIA’S middleweig­ht boxer Lukas ‘The Demolisher’ Ndafoluma was on Saturday crowned the new World Boxing Organisati­on (WBO) Africa middleweig­ht champion, following a convincing first-round stoppage win over Malawian opponent Simeon Tcheta.

Ndafoluma took on Tcheta in the main fight of the “The Demolisher’s Time” Boxing Bonanza, staged by MTC Salute Boxing Academy at the Windhoek Country Club on Saturday, and saw the Namibian make easy work of the Malawian.

In a post-fight interview, an elated Ndafoluma said he worked hard for this fight and is happy to be crowned the new WBO Africa middleweig­ht champion.

“Credit should be given to my coaches who made this fight look easy. I was just too good for my opponent; that is why I knocked him out in the first round,” said Ndafoluma, who added he was celebratin­g two decades of being a boxer from amateur level to now being a profession­al, and winning the title is a cherry on top of his achievemen­ts.

In the main supporting bout, boxer Nathaniel ‘Natty’ Kakololo also lived up to his words when he successful­ly defended his African Boxing Union (ABU) featherwei­ght title with an eighth-round stoppage of Zimbabwean opponent Tinashe Mwadzinawa­na.

Other bouts on the night saw Shifiona Thomas drawing against Welhem Shili in a four-round super bantamweig­ht fight, while other super bantamweig­ht fights on the night saw Mateus Nathaniel Heita beating Joseph Abel – and Phillipus Shaanika beating Johannes Morsande.

In the super featherwei­ght category, Lazarus Namalambo beat Dominicus Weuyulu, while Benhard Benhard beat Ndangi Shapwa in the welterweig­ht category. Immanuel Joseph defeated Salatiel Moses in a six-rounder super flyweight bout with a round one knockout and Alfeus Shikongo won on a unanimous decision against Charles Misanjo after eight rounds of boxing in their super middleweig­ht bout.

In the super lightweigh­t category, Nestor Amukotoh beat Andreas Nghinaunye with a first-round stoppage while in the flyweight division Jonas Erastus showed determinat­ion as he beat Thomas Gabriel on points despite his opponent having better height than him.

Promoter Kiriat Kamanya of the MTC Salute Boxing Academy expressed satisfacti­on with the quality displayed by his boxers and said he will be going back to the drawing board to try and secure more title fights for his boxers.

“I am excited about the win, my boxers did well – and this is only the beginning of more good things to come. It was a great win for him [Ndafoluma] and the academy at large; I will soon be speaking to the WBO to see what other fights we can secure for our boxers,” said Kamanya.

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 ?? Photos: Nampa ?? Victorious… Nathaniel ‘Natty’ Kakololo successful­ly defended his ABU featherwei­ght title with an eighthroun­d stoppage win over Zimbabwean opponent Tinashe Mwadzinawa­na.
Photos: Nampa Victorious… Nathaniel ‘Natty’ Kakololo successful­ly defended his ABU featherwei­ght title with an eighthroun­d stoppage win over Zimbabwean opponent Tinashe Mwadzinawa­na.
 ??  ?? New champ… Namibian boxer Lukas ‘The Demolisher’ Ndafoluma was on Saturday crowned the new WBO Africa middleweig­ht champion.
New champ… Namibian boxer Lukas ‘The Demolisher’ Ndafoluma was on Saturday crowned the new WBO Africa middleweig­ht champion.

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