Rispel and Nangolo impresses

AC Boxing Promotions’ Rising Stars professional boxing tournament on Saturday night at Wanderers was once again a huge success, with six fights on the program.

The event was definitely a feather in the cap for promotor Imms Moses. Moses is the founder and owner of AC Boxing Gymnasium, which hosted the excellently organized event, even without any major sponsors.

Besides every table being sold out to important corporate guests, the competition was very well supported by individual boxing enthusiasts. The boxing festival was broadcast live by Namibia Media Holdings’ NTV team.

In the first fight in the junior welterweight division (63.5 kg), things did not work out for Usko Rehabeam as he had hoped. Rehabeam tasted his second defeat in three months when the less experienced Petrus Panduleni secured a split decision.

Johannes Andreas and Andreas Shikongo’s meeting in a catchweight fight at 68 kg was an exciting performance. Both boxers were equally good, but Shikongo slowly but surely collected more points after the second round. Shikongo then put his victory beyond doubt with a technical knockout in the fourth round.

Ruan Rispel against Edward Mbangu (lightweight, 61.24 kg) produced possibly the most well-rounded performance of the evening. Rispel impressed with his natural talent. His footwork, defence with bob and weave movement as well as good clean combinations were top notch.

Rispel definitely looks like a talent for the future. In the second round, he hit Mbangu with a straight left and right on the chin which sent his opponent to the floor.

Mbangu survived the count and completed the scheduled rounds, to lose the fight by a unanimous points decision (39-36, 39-36, 40-35). Rispel has certainly showed improvement since his last fight in the capital on July 30.



Veteran

The 39-year-old Sakaria “Desert Storm” Lukas stepped into the limelight for the first time since November 12, 2022 when he was knocked out by Raymond Ford in Cleveland, USA.

Lukas’ junior lightweight fight (58.97 kg) against Patson Mutengwa from Zimbabwe was already history in the first round.

Lukas knocked Mutengwa down twice in the first round and won by knockout. The Zimbabwean (now with one win and nine losses, all by knockouts) was hopelessly overmatched against the experienced former world title challenger.

In the main pre-fight in the lightweight division, Hafeni “Hitman” Ngheshaya’s ingenuity was too much for Nicanor “Cobra” Halweendo. Although Halweendo bravely fought back after being knocked down, he lost the fight on the score cards by 40-35, 40-35 and 39-36.

In the main bout, Flame “Special One” Nangolo picked up his tenth win in as many fights against David Shinuna in a junior lightweight bout.

Shinuna was like a Jack Russel who constantly tried with every ounce of energy in his body to overwhelm Nangolo.

However, Nangolo’s intelligent performance over ten rounds ensured that the national title belonged to him. He convinced the judges by 99-91, 100-90 and 100-90, to push his unbeaten professional record to ten fights (2 knockouts).

Shinuna was announced as a late replacement on Friday after Nangolo’s scheduled opponent Jona Shikukutu withdrew due to injury.

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