MTC Sunshine Academy's historic WBO title defences set for Rundu
The MTC Sunshine Boxing and Fitness Academy has announced a major professional boxing bonanza in Rundu on 17 October, with three title fights set to headline a historic night for the Kavango region.
Martin “Alligator” Mukungu will defend his WBO Africa Junior Lightweight title against South African challenger Lucky Manyebane, while Fillipus “Energy” Nghitumbwa will put his WBO Global Super Bantamweight title on the line against undefeated Tanzanian Jumanne Iddi Jummane.
Mateus “The Beast” Heita will also feature in a major international bout against South African Ishmael, adding further depth to a card packed with Namibian talent.
The event, organised in partnership with the Kavango Regional Council, will bring professional boxing of international standard to Rundu for the first time. It is being billed as a landmark occasion for a region that has produced one of Namibia’s current international champions in Mukungu.
Mukungu’s recent breakthrough has helped raise the profile of boxing in Kavango, and his return home to defend his title is expected to attract strong support from local fans.
Academy founder and promoter Nestor Tobias said the decision to take the event to Rundu was largely inspired by Mukungu’s impressive victory over Flame “Special One” Nangolo, which saw the Kavango-born boxer stop his previously unbeaten opponent in the opening round.
Tobias believes the victory has helped underline boxing’s growing importance in the country and wants greater investment in the sport from both government and the corporate sector.
“When we say boxing is the number one sport in Namibia, I've been preaching that all the time,” Tobias said, pointing to the country’s recent performance at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games as further evidence of the sport’s strength.
He said the growth of the Sunshine Academy has resulted in a stable featuring international champions such as Mukungu, Heita and Nghitumbwa, but warned that staging international title fights comes at a high cost.
“To put up an international title, it costs a lot of money, and that is in US dollars,” Tobias said, calling for increased support for professional boxing.
Boxers should receive greater recognition
He also stressed that professional boxers representing Namibia should receive greater recognition, despite the sport’s use of the professional classification to protect fighters because of its physical risks.
“We still sing the same national anthem, same flag,” Tobias said.
The academy said its primary objective is to improve its fighters’ world rankings and create opportunities for them to compete for world titles.
The undercard will feature several of Namibia’s established boxers, including Paulinus “Jon Jon” Ndjolonimus, Harry Simon Jnr and Jeremiah Nakathila, who are expected to compete in international bouts.
For Rundu, the event represents more than a night of boxing. It is expected to provide an economic boost to the town and surrounding region, benefiting hospitality, accommodation, catering, healthcare, marketing, beauty and fitness businesses.
The boxing bonanza will also combine sport with entertainment, featuring musical performances by local artists, cultural displays and pageantry.
With the event expected to reach audiences through broadcast and digital platforms, organisers believe it will provide an opportunity to showcase the country's boxing talent and the tourism potential of the Kavango region to an international audience.
The academy said the event will also serve as an inspiration to young people in Kavango, showing them that they can follow Mukungu’s path and pursue sporting careers.
The 17 October event is therefore expected to be both a major sporting occasion and a celebration of Kavango’s growing contribution to Namibian boxing.
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