• Boxing

Nestor's boxers behind enemy lines

• 14 Hours Ago

Two of MTC Nestor ‘Sunshine’ Boxing Promotions fighters have high profile boxing bouts slated for USA and Germany over the next two months.

Jeremiah “Low-Key” Nakathila and Paulinus “John John” Ndjolonimus will have their mettle tested in big international bouts beyond African borders.

Former world title contender Nakathila will trade leather with American Abdullah Mason on 7 June in Norfolk, Virginia, before Ndjolonimus will square off against Germany’s Simon Zachenhuber in an international super-middleweight bout in Heidelberg on 19 July.

At a press conference yesterday, promoter Nestor Tobias reiterated the stable’s big ambitions for the year 2025, highlighting these two fights as a plan that is already in motion.

“We are here to announce one of the biggest fights coming up for the MTC Sunshine Boxing and Fitness Academy.

“This year we promised big things and we started already when we had the tribute fights to the late founding father of the Namibian nation.

“Of course, now, we are here to announce two international fights. We will have our top boxers Jeremiah Nakathilia and John John who will be fighting in USA and Germany," Tobias said.

At age 37, WBO Africa super middleweight title holder Ndjolonimus will finally fight outside Namibia for the first time.

Talking about going toe to toe with Zachenhuber (26-0, 16 KOs) in what would be a high-stakes clash between two undefeated fighters, Ndjolonimus (19-0, 17 KOs) assured there will be no excuses.

“We have enough time to prepare for this fight, so there won’t be any excuses on the day. We will go there and win it for Namibia.

“It’s a big opportunity for me, the country, and Africa at large. For now, I will work together with my team to prepare for the fight. Come 19 July, we will be ready!” he assured.

The 26-year-old Zachenhuber will have youth on his side and boasts a knockout percentage of 61%. He previously held the IBF European super middleweight belt.

Zachenhuber is currently ranked 10th by the IBF in this weight class, while the Namibian is the fourth contender on the WBO’s list.



Nakathila

This will be the fifth time the Namibian will be trading leather in the United States, making him the Namibian with the most high-level fights in the USA.

The 35-year-old Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs) will be up against a vibrant 21-year-old southpaw fighter who has a clean record of 18 wins, with 16 of them coming by knockout.

Mason’s 18 professional fights since his debut in November 2021 lasted only a total of 54 rounds – an average of 3.0 per fight.