I’M MISSING OUR STRONG FOOD PAP, SAYS NAKATHILA IN THE USA
As he tackles a mountain of fruits after a plateful of chicken, rice and spaghetti, Namibia’s star boxer Jeremiah “Low-Key” Nakathila is still missing pap.
“Pap is our main dish at home, it’s strong, gives me more power and lasts longer in the stomach,” Nakathila, the CEO of boxersworld.co.ke, said from his hotel Waterside Marriot in Virginia in the USA.
Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs) fights unbeaten American southpaw Abdullah Mason (18-0-0, 16 KOs) on Saturday night in a 10-round main card at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.
“I’m however not complaining much on food because there’s plenty of it in our hotel, there’s variety of food like chicken, rice, spaghetti, meatballs.”
Pap is a traditional food in Namibia made from pearl millet. It’s the staple food in southern Africa. In Malawi they call it nsima and sadza in Zimbabwe.
In East Africa pap is known as ugali made from maize flour, corn or cassava. It’s also known as sima at the Kenyan coast and in Tanzania or sembe of you like. The Ugandans call it kaunga though their staple food is matoke.
Normally ugali or pap is accompanied by beef stew, fish, greens, chicken depending on the weight of your wallet.
Ahead of his fight, Nakathila started his day at the Waterside Marriot Hotel with a heavy breakfast and dessert.
“I have a big appetite, I like eating well because food is life, I just wish pap was here.
“I’ll now take light lunch and that’s it, no more eating until after the fight.”
Africa is rooting for Namibia's Jeremiah "Low-Key" Nakathila (right) against unbeaten American southpaw Abdullah Mason (left) tonight in Virginia in the USA.
NAKATHILA’S BOUT IS MAIN CARD, TOP NAMIBIAN BOXERS ROOT FOR LOW-KEY IN HIS 5TH USA FIGHT
It’s a big morale booster for Namibia’s celebratedJeremiah “Low-Key” Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs).
Nakathila putting in the finishing touches in the gym ahead of the disco dance tonight.
His 10-round bout tonight at Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, against unbeaten American southpaw Abdullah Mason (18-0, 16 KOs) has now been elevated to the main card. This follows the cancellation of the earlier main card between Keyshawn Davis and Dominican Edwin De Los Santos after Davis failed to make weight. Davis has subsequently been stripped of the WBO lightweight world title.
While featuring in the main card is prestigious in pro boxing, for Nakathila he finds it normal.
“It’s very normal for me. However it adds more fuel in the tank. This is my fourth time in the main card and one co main- event,” said Nakathila who is the CEO of boxersworld.co.ke, one of Africa’s top boxing sites.
Africa featherweight champion Tryagain Ndevelo says the American will kiss the canvas several times against his compatriot Jeremiah Nakathila.
Nakathila has already warned Mason to expect an explosion in the form of what he said was a tsunami punch in this eagerly awaited fight in Africa especially in Namibia.
“He will not see that tsunami punch coming, it will hit him hard with full force,” said a confident Nakathila on his fifth fight in the USA.
He wants the American to make several trips to the canvas before the referee waves it off.
Two top Namibian boxers, Africa featherweight champion Tryagain Ndevelo and Africa silver medallist Gebhard Ipinge have tipped their countryman to flatten the American boxer before his home fans.
Ndevelo has a lot of Faith on Nakathila whom he said is their inspiration.
“He knows what it takes to be there since it’s not his first show in the USA, I see him putting the American down,” said Ndevelo, adding:”He has a unique kind of power punching, every boxer wants that technique.”
How should he approach the fight?, I ask Ndevelo.
“He has to make sure he doesn’t fight Mason, less punches but effective and powerful just to avoid making mistakes.
“I see the American boxer struggling the moment Low-Key Nakathila uses his lead hand to set up the right, at least three straight punches will keep the young boy at bay. That way Nakathila will have less pressure and must circle to his left using his strong right to unsettle the American not giving him time to map out any strategy.”
From left Namibia’s top promoter and one of the best in Africa Nestor Tobias, Jeremiah Nakathila, coach Siegfried Blacky Kaperu and head coach Nicky Natangue.
Ipinge, light-heavyweight silver medallist in the 2024 African Championships in Kinshasa, advised Nakathila to calculate his punches well to avoid being reckless facing a young opponent who is fast with 16 inside the distance victories.
“I hope he surprises a lot of guys, those who don’t believe in him,” said Ipinge.
“I believe he can deliver because Low-Key is tough. It will be a redemption fight for him in the US having lost twice consecutively in his previous fights there. I do believe he will knock out the American boy but if they go the distance he will lose on points as the boy is fast and tactical.
“Being the only Namibian to win in the US he inspires many young boxers. He really inspired me winning in America and I train alongside him when I’m in Windhoek.”
Tryagain Ndevelo (left) and Gebhard Ipinge at the 2024 African Championships in Kinshasa, DR Congo. The two regard Nakathila highly and said he is the inspiration of many young Namibian boxers.
Indeed Africa is rooting for Nakathila. Go! Go! Low-Key hit him harder in the early rounds to dismantle his game plan. Let him feel the weight of raw African power. Nothing is impossible so long as you belieeeeeeeeve in yourself to inflict the first defeat for Mason.
• Abdullah Mason 134.5 lbs vs. Jeremia Nakathila 134.8 lbs
NAMING IMANE KHELIF HAS CAUSED IMMEASURABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE
Algerian boxing bosses have issued a furious response to boxing’s new world governing body for a “violation” of Imane Khelif’s rights to medical confidentiality.
A statement released by World Boxing last week, naming Khelif while outlining its new policy of gender testing, has “created psychological damage to our athlete” according to the Algerian Boxing Federation.
In a letter the Federation President said the “consequences are immeasurable.”
He added that the statement had internationally harmed “our national sports movement” and that Khelif was not given “the right to defend herself” nor did World Boxing “hear from the doctors specialising in endocrinology who follow her.”
This week World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst wrote to the Algerian governing body admitting that Khelif’s “privacy should have been protected.”
In his letter he also revealed that the organisation would not “examine” any boxers previous results, which suggests all records to date – for all boxers – will stand. Khelif won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
The apology came after a leaked medical report of a gender test taken from Khelif in 2023, published on the 3 Wire Sports website, appeared to indicate the boxer is biologically male.
Namibia's battle-hardened Jeremiah 'Low Key" Nakathila (right) and America's Abdullah Mason ready for the show on Saturday, June 7, in Virginia in the USA.
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.
Nakathila with his successful promoter Nestor Tobias.
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.
Nakathila’s coaches Nicky Natangwe (right) and SBK.
“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.
Zambia Defence Forces team pose for a group picture during a training session in Lusaka. Female boxers Margret Tembo and Felistus Nkandu will not travel to Rabat as the event is not featuring women boxers..
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.
Coach Wisdom Mudenda (left) and Patrick Chinyemba at the 2023 Olympic qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal.
“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.
Newly-appointed head of African boxing Pearl Dlamini who is now the Chairperson of AFBC Normalisation Committee which has taken over the management of boxing in Africa following a decision by the IBA Board of Directors to disband the AFBC Board under President Eyassu Berhanu owing to wrangles and failure to deliver.
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.
Tanzania's national boxing team head coach Samwel "Batman" Kapungu scoops two awards
Tanzania’s national team head coach Samwel Kapungu aka Batman would fly if he had wings.
Far left is Batman during the awards ceremony flanked by former star international boxer Emmanuel Mlundwa (centre) and Boxing Federation of Tanzania secretary-general Makore Mashaga
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.
BFT President, Lukelo Willilo, with the national boxing team which has a successful 2024 season
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.
