BRACE FOR A TSUNAMI PUNCH, NAKATHILA WARNS AMERICAN BOXER ABDULLAH MASON

▪️Mason will be swept to the deep end of Atlantic Ocean, says Nakathila

Namibia’s renowned pro boxer Jeremiah “Low Key” Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs) has alerted his unbeaten American opponent Abdullah Mason (18-0-0, 16 KOs) to brace for a tsunami in their 10-round fight on Saturday, June 7, at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, a constituent state of the United States of America.

The Namibian’s battle against Mason will be the co-feature fight of the main card in which American Keyshawn “The Businessman” Davis defends his WBO lightweight world title against free-punching Dominican Edwin De Los Santos.

Nakathila told boxersworld.co.ke he has developed a very strong punch he nicknamed tsunami.

“He will not withstand the tsunami punch awaiting him on Saturday,” an upbeat Nakathila said, adding a clincher: “His seconders should prepare to look for him in the Atlantic Ocean.”

“I’m in top shape, Mason doesn’t know what’s coming for him he will be shocked,” said Nakathila after the face-off session.

“I looked in his eyes and there’s nothing special about him so I’m just looking forward to Saturday to do my usual job.”

This is Nakathila’s fifth fight in the USA. He’s now the only Namibian to have fought more times in the US than any other boxer from the Southern African country.

“For sure I feel special holding the record of the highest number of fights on American soil.

“The atmosphere has been good since I arrived, not cold and not hot, having fun also here looking forward to my fight on Saturday.”

Nakathila, a policeman back home in Namibia, singles out American WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson as the toughest boxer he has met so far in his pro boxing career.

He fought Stevenson in June, 2021, for the WBO interim super-featherweight title, losing by a unanimous decision including one trip to the canvas in the fourth round courtesy of Stevenson’s right hook.

“He was a very difficult opponent, it was hard to land punches on him,” recalls Nakathila on his fight against the southpaw Stevenson.

Mason is also a southpaw and a skillful boxer. How will Nakathila cope up with another southpaw opponent?

“I have since made amends and know how to handle the southpaws better,” said the 35-year-old Nakathila who TKO’d Mexico’s former world junior lightweight champion Miguel Berchelt in the sixth round in his second fight in the USA in March, 2022.

Nakathila’a next two fights in the USA ended in knockout defeats to Raymond Muratala and Ernesto Mercado in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

The boxer is in America with his longtime promoter Nestor Tobias, the man behind his success and also the facilitator of his five fights in the USA.

Others with Nakathila are his bearded head coach Nicky Natangwe and Siegfried Black Kaperu simply known as SBK.

While Natangwe heaps a lot of praise on Mason, he is however not shaken by his unbeaten record.

“His unbeaten run is coming to an end on Saturday, that’s nothing us,” said a defiant Natangwe from Virginia in an interview.

“Abdul is a good fighter, young and very energetic, a great prospect for Top Rank, he’s a very fast boxer but he is meeting up with a great African champion well experienced fighter who has fought tougher boxers than Mason.

“I personally have no doubt or shaken by Abdul, I know he is not a walk in the park but his camp must be ready for something they never experienced, I saw him once dropped twice (by Dominican Yohan Vasquez last year in November) and I picked where his weak points are, we will fully capitalise on his weak areas.”

Since his two consecutive knockout losses, Nakathila last year redeemed himself with three victories at home in Windhoek against compatriots Evans Husayihwevhu, Jeremiah Mhere and Tafadzwa Mushando.

THEO ALLOTEY VS DANIEL SELLASSIE, A FIGHT TO BRING BACK THE LOVE FOR GHANA BOXING

Ghana Boxing will be alive again on June 13, 2025 when Legacy Rise Sports Promotions host another show dubbed ‘Battle of the Beasts’ at the Bukom Boxing Arena.

The main bout is between Ghana’s Jacob ‘The Beast’ Dickson, (14-1-0, 13KOs) against American Andrew ‘The Beast’ Tahiti, (21-2, 17 KOs) for the WBC Africa Bridgerweight title, however the second main bout between Theophilus Nii Kpakpo Allotey aka ‘Theo Lopez’ versus Daniel Selassie SAGorsh aka ‘The Emperor’ for his WBO Africa Bantamweight title has been the talk of town and everywhere boxing fans meet, the discussion is about Selassie and Lopez.

Accepting to challenge each other alone has puts them in a special class as brave boxers of Ghana.

For the records both are undefeated, and while Gorsh (15-0-0) turned professional at an early age on the advise of Coach Lawrence Carl Lokko of the Bronx Boxing Gym, while Allotey went through the amateur grades and represented Ghana at the African Olympic Games qualifiers to Paris 2024 fighting in Dakar, Thailand and Italy. He has also gone on a high level training tour at the British Cayman Island guided by Coach Dr. Ofori Asare of the Wisdom Boxing Gym.

Allotey (10-0-0) holds the National Super Flyweight as well as the UBO African Bantamweight title belts and Gorsh is the National and WBO Africa Bantamweight champion.

He is managed by Wisdom Boxing Promotions and inspired by many top class boxers including Joseph Agbeko, Patrick Allotey, Lomachenko, Sugar Ray Leonard, Theofimo Lopez, Canelo and Floyd Mayweather

USA based L & B Management Syndicate manages Daniel Gorsh who also loves to be called doctor because he injects his opponents.

For sure a good fight is expected as both have promised a knock out, so one will fall or call it a night.

…Sammy Heywood Okine

CHINYEMBA LEADS ZAMBIANS TO MOROCCO FOR MILITARY EVENT

▪️ Former WBC bantamweight champion Catherine Phiri will manage the Zambian team for the Africa Military Boxing Championships starting on June 14 in Rabat.

Zambia’s most decorated boxer currently Patrick “Baddo” Chinyemba leads a six-man team to Morocco’s capital city Rabat for the Africa Military Boxing Championships scheduled for June 14-22.

Wisdom Mudenda, head coach of Zambia Defence Forces team today (June 5) announced the team travelling to Morocco. Mudenda is also the head coach of Zambia’s national team.

Chinyemba, gold medallist at the African Games in Accra, 2023 Olympic qualifiers in Dakar and the 2022 Africa Championships in Maputo, is the captain of the team.

“I’m happy we’re going to Morocco for the Africa Military Boxing Championships, keeping us busy,” said Chinyemba, a quarter-finalist in the Paris Olympics who was keen to know when the AFBC Men’s and Women’s African Boxing Championships will take place.

In addition to flyweight Chinyemba, other boxers in the Zambia Armed Forced side are African Games light-flyweight quarter-finalist Nene Maonga, African Games bronze medallist Albert Ngulube at featherweight, lightweight Beb Banda a bronze medallist in the 2022 Africa Championships, light-welterweight Emmanuel Ngoma who represented Zambia at the 2017 Africa Championships and; 62016 Olympic qualifiers in Cameroon and welterweight Samson Phiri.

Zambia’s former WBC bantamweight champion Lieutenant Catherine Phiri will manage the team.

INAUGURAL AFBC NORMALISATION COMMITTEE MEETING SETS VISION FOR STRATEGIC REFORMS AND COLLABORATION

The IBA has announced the Chairperson and the composition of the structure that will act as a temporary governing body for African Boxing Confederation until conclusion of the AFBC Elective Congress Meeting in 2026.

IBA Board of Directors member Ms Pearl Dlamini became the Chairperson, while IBA Vice-President Mr Abdulmutalim Abakarov holds Vice Chairperson position. IBA Secretary General and CEO Mr Chris Roberts OBE, IBA Board of Directors member Mr Dian Gomes, President of Mozambique Boxing Federation Mr Gabriel Xavier Da Barca Junior, President of Uganda Boxing Federation Mr Moses Muhangi and ex-Chairman of the AFBC Ethics Committee Mr David Pina formed the Normalisation Committee composition with a vacant position still to be filled.

The Committee held its inaugural meeting virtually on Sunday, 1 June 2025, marking a significant step towards enhancing governance and operational effectiveness among its member National Federations. Under the guidance of Chairperson Ms. Pearl Dlamini, the committee set forth a robust agenda emphasizing inclusive representation, refined regulatory frameworks, and comprehensive strategic planning.

During the meeting, the Committee addressed critical feedback from National Federation representatives, notably concerning the Maghreb region and French-speaking cohorts. To demonstrate its dedication to broad representation, the committee agreed to identify two additional members from these regions. A formal mail vote on these nominations will take place, with final approval anticipated from the IBA Board of Directors by mid-June.

Committee members were encouraged to thoroughly review the AFBC Normalisation Committee Regulations to understand their roles and responsibilities clearly. Feedback, recommended changes, and queries regarding these regulations must be submitted by 8 June 2025. These contributions will then be integrated into a consolidated proposal for mail voting and subsequent final review by the IBA Board of Directors.

Budgetary allocations were discussed, particularly with reference to aligning financial resources efficiently with measurable outputs and future needs. The Committee underscored the importance of transparency and fiscal responsibility, committing to regular updates throughout the ongoing budget review process.

A comprehensive strategic action plan was reviewed, addressing critical transitional tasks, such as the handover of responsibilities from the former AFBC President and respective office, in order to resolve critical administrative issues, including reported delays in AFBC staff salaries in Ethiopia. The committee is taking active steps to clarify leadership roles within AFBC. Decisions from the meeting also included the establishment of a dedicated channel for committee communications and consolidation of digital outreach through the IBA platform, with plans to phase out redundant AFBC WhatsApp groups and websites until a legitimate governance framework is finalized by the respective National Federations. The Chairperson will contact managers of the two available AFBC websites to discuss possible service usage, with interim support from the IBA office.

Additionally, the AFBC Normalisation Committee will be supported mainly by the IBA staff located in its Dubai office. The committee agreed to call for submissions from boxers and countries with prize money claims, ensuring these concerns are transparently addressed in the forthcoming committee statement. It will also manage the further proposed African Championships tournament, with an open call for hosting bids to be advertised out in due course. Furthermore, collaboration with the IBA International Relations department will clarify legitimate leadership within each AFBC National Federation, details of which will be included in subsequent official communications.

Chairperson Ms. Pearl Dlamini emphasized, ‘Sunday’s meeting underscores our unwavering commitment to reform, transparency, and unified progress. By engaging diverse perspectives and strengthening internal processes, we are laying the groundwork for a stronger, more inclusive future for AFBC.’

The committee will next process additional member nominations via mail vote and finalize feedback on regulatory and strategic action plans by 8 June 2025. Further information about upcoming meetings and actions will be communicated in due course.

Courtesy www.iba.sport

https://www.boxingnews24.com/2025/06/is-abdullah-mason-one-step-away-from-a-world-title-shot/

Tanzania’s national team head coach Samwel Kapungu aka Batman would fly if he had wings.

In what will remain a memorable and historic night for Kapungu, he was named the 2024 Coach of the Year in the Tanzania National Sports Council Awards held on Sunday night, June 1, at the Super Dome in the affluent suburb of Masaki, Dar es Salaam.

As if that was not enough, Batman also won the National Team Award for the impressive performance of his team in the 2024 season, eclipsing football, the country’s most popular sport.

For the individual award, Batman KO’d national football team coach Hemed Suleiman who had been walking before the awards ceremony hoping to win the two awards.

Equally impressed was Boxing Federation of Tanzania (BFT) President Lukelo Willilo, proving once again boxing remains one of Tanzania’s most successful disciplines.

“We’re all very happy for winning the two awards and thank our President Samia Sukuhu for her big support,” said Willilo who is also the secretary general of the AFBC Zone Three.

Batman told boxersworld.co.ke he was overjoyed winning the two important awards.

“The two awards have really inspired me adding more value in my coaching profession, I’ll strive to do better,” said the Dar es Salaam- based businessman who hails from Iringa in Tanzania.

He started handling the national team in 2023, and within that short span boasts of five medals in the continental tournaments.

Batman’s notable achievement in the 2023 season was when he guided soldier Grace Mwakamele to become Tanzania’s first female medallist in the Africa Championships in Yaounde, Cameroon. She won light-middleweight silver with Lucas Changakawe winning light-heavyweight bronze.

He had earlier travelled to New Delhi, India, for the 2023 Women’s World Championships and later Men’s World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The 2024 season was a blast for Batman, winning three bronze medals at the African Games in Accra and another bronze by Najma Isike in the Africa Championships in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Medallists in Accra were lightweight Ezra Paul, light-heavyweight Yusuf Changalawe and cruiserweight Musa Malegesi.

Batman is not just a boxing coach. He knows the pain of a punch having been a boxer himself.

Inspired by one of Tanzania’s most popular boxers, Rashid “Snakeboy” Matumla, Batman got involved with boxing in the early 90s at Urafiki Boxing Club under coach Pius Simon and captain of the club David Lumbakisiye, and later switched to coaching. He’s now a Star-1 coach.

Bubbling with confidence, Namibia’s decorated pro boxer Jeremiah “Low-Key” Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs) left Windhoek on Sunday, June 1, heading to the United States for his June 7 fight against undefeated American Abdullah Mason (18-0, 16 KO’s) at Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.

The fight will be a co-feature of an ESPN telecast involving WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis and Dominican contender Edwin De Los Santos in the main fight.

Nakathila was accompanied by his promoter, the celebrated Nestor Tobias, a former boxer who was a street fighter in his youth beating up the big boys.

Born and raised in the Northern Namibian village of Etundja, Nestor won the South African junior middleweight title in 1986 and made it to the quarter-finals of the 1991 African Games in Cairo, Egypt. He founded the Nestor Sunshine Boxing Academy in the 2000, and has risen to become one of Africa’s most accomplished promoters, winning the African Promoter of the Year in 2012 in WBO annual convention in New York.

Others in the entourage are coaches Nick Natangwe and SBK.

This is Nakathila’s fifth fight in the USA having made his debut in 2021, losing by a unanimous decision to WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson in a WBO interim super-featherweight title fight.

“I’m ready for the challenge ahead, I know the qualities of my younger opponent but I’m used to the big stage,” the 35-year-old Nakathila told boxersworld.co.ke.

The fight will be speed vs power as the American boxer is faster than the experienced Namibian whose main advantage is his raw African power. Bombs will explode on June 7.

“I’ve trained very well for the fight, I assure Namibians and Africa as a whole of nothing but victory in the USA.”

▪ She has promised a raft of measures to bring back sanity in this popular sport in Africa
▪ “Outstanding boxers’ prize money must be paid and boxing. governance structures will be strengthened,” says the new boss of African boxing

Eswatini’s Pearl Dlamini has landed running, becoming the first ever woman to head Africa boxing.

“The train has now left the station, I’m on the move, and today (May 30) we will have our first meeting to discuss our strategies because there’s a lot to be done,” said Dlamini.

“We welcome divergent views and criticism to help us improve. I’m ready for the battle but work must be done,” said a confident Dlamini who is not new to boxing leadership having been the first ever female president of Eswatini Boxing Association from 2011-2020.

“Outstanding boxers prize money in Maputo 2022 and Kinshasa 2024 must be paid, governance structures will be improved to ensure stability in Africa boxing is restored.”

Dlamini has been appointed the Chairperson of the Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) Normalisation Committee by IBA’s Board of Directors.

She takes over from Ethiopia’s businessman Eyassu Berhanu who has been relieved of his duties including his entire Board of Directors owing to ineptitude on managing African boxing.

The Ethiopian was elected unopposed as the AFBC President in Addis Ababa in November, 2023, taking over from deposed Cameroonian Bertrand Mendouga who was removed through a vote of no confidence by the Board of Directors in August, 2023, during the Africa Championships in Yaounde. He was accused of high handedness, arrogance and financial impropriety.

This is the composition of the AFBC Normalisation Committee
1. Ms Pearl Dlamini (IBA Director) – Chairperson
2. Mr Abdulmutalim Abakarov (IBA Vice President) – Vice Chairperson
3. Mr Chris Roberts OBE (IBA Secretary General & CEO)
4. Mr Dian Gomes (IBA Director)
5. Mr Gabriel Xavier Da Barca Junior (President of Mozambique Boxing Federation)
6. Mr Moses Muhangi (President of Uganda Boxing Federation)
7. Mr David Pina (ex-Chairman of the AFBC Ethics Committee)
8. Vacant position (awaiting candidate proposal from AFBC President’s office)

It’s another fresh start in continental boxing with high hopes of changing the lethargic and unprofessional manner in which the sport has been managed.

IBA’s Secretary-General and CEO Chris Roberts announced the composition of the Normalisation Committee in a letter dated May 29, 2025, and copied to IBA Board of Directors, IBA staff and National Federations in Africa.

The letter read in part: “As you are aware, there has been significant instability within the AFBC, creating an urgent need for
intervention. In its responsibility to restore lawful governance and stability to the Confederation, the IBA
has established the Normalisation Committee to address and resolve these issues.

“The Committee’s
key mandate is to ensure compliance with both the IBA and AFBC Constitutions, facilitate the
organisation of new, legitimate elections, and to restore effective governance within the AFBC. The Regulations on AFBC Normalisation Committee (NC) for AFBC have been established by the IBA
to guide the work of the Normalisation Committee.

“These regulations are binding on all AFBC officials,
AFBC National Federations, and associated members. It is essential that all parties comply with these
regulations to ensure the smooth and effective restoration of stability and governance. As we further move forward with this work, there will be some opportunity for subject matter expertise.”

The IBA CEO will also create a Subject Matter Expertise (SME) working group of professionals called “Passion for African Boxing” to assist him in the monumental task of improving Africa’s boxing landscape and clear a pile of garbage left behind by the two deposed regimes.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) sent home Eyassu’s team and established the Normalisation Committee following deep divisions that undermined the unity and credibility of African boxing.

“In October 2024, numerous AFBC National Federations raised serious concerns about lack of transparency and governance failures under the current AFBC leadership,” said IBA’s statement explaining why they have created the NC.

The IBA statement went on: “These National Federations formally requested immediate intervention including fresh elections to rectify those concerns.”

In the wake of dissatisfaction expressed by the National Federations, things came to a head when a big rift erupted in AFBC with DR Congo’s combative federation president Ferdinand Luyoyo leading a group that passed a vote of no confidence in Eyassu’s leadership. Luyoyo was declared by his team as the acting AFBC president.

While IBA disowned the Luyoyo team, they extended an olive branch by inviting them to a reconciliation meeting with the IBA-recognised Eyassu group early this year in Dubai in what was seen as a last ditch effort by the international body to unite the two warring factions.

The Dubai meeting, however, ended in disarray with no unity achieved, forcing the IBA to crack the whip by dissolving Eyassu’s executive committee.

In a show of defiance, Eyassu’s team has rejected the formation of the Normalisation Committee describing IBA’s decision as discriminatory on the African body.

“We’re unaware of the IBA removing the entire continental board in other continents but it has happened in Africa,” they said in a letter to the IBA, citing financial favouritism and fostering divisions.

“Should the IBA proceed by imposing an illegitimate NC that strips away our rights we will seek legal redress at the Court of Arbitration for Sports or any other relevant judicial bodies,” they threatened.

In establishing the NC, the IBA Board of Directors invoked Article 14.5 of the Constitution. The deposed AFBC board has however not quoted which clause of the Constitution has been violated by the IBA in creating the NC.

As expected, IBA’s decision to establish the NC has been received with mixed feelings with the Luyoyo team supporting its creation while other critical boxing stakeholders are not convinced the NC will bring any meaningful change to the beleagured African boxing body.

Brickbats aside, the appointment of Pearl Dlamini has been hailed as a step in the right direction by most African boxers and followers of the sport who were fed up with the toxic wrangles in African boxing.

In addition to serving the Eswatini Boxing Association from 2011-2020, Dlamini is currently an IBA board member as well as a board member of Eswatini NOC, the IOC Accredited Sports Administration Lecturer and Accredited Region 5 Women in Sports Leadership Facilitator.

All this shows how strong she is on governance matters.

Careerwise, the elegant Dlamini is fully employed by Eswatini Revenue Service as their Director for Projects Office. She is also a Director for Sunika Solutions, a consultancy firm on Transformation Methodologies and Systems.

IBA KNOCKS OUT AFBC PRESIDENT EYASSU AND HIS ENTIRE BOARD

▪️ Normalisation Committee appointed to take charge of boxing in Africa

▪️ Defiant Eyassu and his BoD reject Normalisation Committee, and threatened to seek legal redress at the Court of Arbitration for Sport

The hammer has finally landed on the Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) President Eyassu Berhanu and his Board of Directors.

International Boxing Association (IBA) today (May 26) said in a statement on their website they have launched a Normalisation Committee to manage and streamline the operations of the beleaguered African body which the statement said had lost direction by engaging in unnecessary power struggle at the expense of development.

The creation of the Normalisation Committee in essence means that the underperfoming AFBC President Eyassu Berhanu and his loyal Board of Directors have been relieved of their responsibilities.

“The IBA Board of Directors has invoked Article 14.5 of the IBA Constitution to establish a Normalisation Committee tasked with the immediate intervention to stabilize AFBC,” said the statement, clarifying the committee is composed of two IBA Directors, one IBA Vice-President, four key African boxing stakeholders and supported by IBA Secretary General and CEO. The Normalisation Committee will temporarily oversee all AFBC operations.

The statement noted with concern the big division of AFBC with two leaders, the IBA-recognised Eyassu Berhanu and the other faction headed by General Ilunga Luyoyo.

IBA’s spirited efforts to reconcile the two warring factions have been unsuccessful, noted the statement and therefore they eventually decided to create the Normalisation Committee.

Elaborating further on the role of the Normalisation Committee, the statement said:”Its primary mandate includes addressing governance issues, managing AFBC’s daily affairs and organising legimate congress to elect and form a new leadership aligned with the core values of IBA.

“All decisions taken by the NC will be binding for AFBC, its governing bodies and affiliated National Federations.

In a rejoinder, Eyassu and his seven-member Board of Directors have rejected the formation of the Normalisation Committee, and threatened to seek legal redress at the Court of Arbitration for Sport based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In a lengthy letter to IBA President Umar Kremlev, dated May 24, they unanimously objected to the creation of the Normalisation Committee but did not state under what clause of the Constitution they were opposing the NC.

The letter is signed by President Eyassu Berhanu, Vice President Alpha Amadou Balde and Board of Directors Siyabulela Mukwalo, Irene Ntelemo, Awil Gele Ahmed, Webster Lukhele, Azania Omo Agege, Abdou Issoufou and Lukello Willilo who was previously in Luyoyo’s faction but has now joined Eyassu’s KO’d team.

They said that dissolving AFBC Board via the Normalisation Committee is viewed as a broader pattern of governance issues within IBA urging the international body to respect the autonomy of AFBC.

“Under IBA we have witnessed a drift away from the focus on amateur boxing development accompanied by unilateral decisions without proper consultation,” said the letter accusing the IBA of financial favouritism and discriminative treatment of AFBC compared to other Confederations.

The IBA had yet to respond to the letter by Eyassu’s team by the time we were publishing.

Commenting on Willilo’s unexpected defection to Berhanu’s team, the Secretary General of Senegal Boxing Federation and board member in Luyoyo’s team, Anta Gueye, said: Boxing is full of mercenaries who sell themselves out. It’s a real shame. Some of them have no dignity. Even if the field were full and numbered 12, everything falls apart. Most of them are in boxing just to make some money but don’t have the sport at heart other exhibiting their cheapness and are not different from prostitutes.”

This the first time the AFBC executive has been dissolved since the formation of the African boxing body in 1960.

IBA’s decision is viewed by boxing analysts as a stabbing shock in the back to Berhanu whose image is now in tatters, and it’s definite he has now been consigned to the dustbin of history in African boxing. His attempt to go to court, ring insiders argue, is a face-saving measure and that his fate with his henchmen has been sealed.