Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Local boxer Fillipus “Energy” Nghitumbwa says he must win his upcoming fight to move closer to a world title opportunity.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday ahead of the MTC Nestor Promotions boxing event, Nghitumbwa said victory is the only option.
The event, set for Saturday at the Windhoek Showgrounds, is being held in honour of the late Founding President Sam Nujoma.
Nghitumbwa will defend his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Africa title against Zimbabwean challenger Hassan Milanzi.
“We are ready for the fight and bring you a good fight. My opponent is here, and thank him for accepting this fight. Come Saturday, I am going to make the fight easy and make sure I win it in the early rounds. The plan is to win. There is no other way and move on to bigger fights,” he said.
He added that winning will improve his world ranking and bring him closer to a world title shot, which remains his long-term goal.
Nghitumbwa also appealed to sponsors such as MTC and Pstbet to assist boxers with branded clothing for training.
“I know our sponsors are already putting in big money for us to have these fights, and if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be here. But please help further with tracksuits and caps to look different from everyone. We can’t look like rebels in the bush. Even rebels have uniforms; if you’re M23 or Boko Haram, they have their uniforms. So please help us in that regard,” he said.
