By Chrispin Inambao
WINDHOEK
National welterweight titleholder Bethuel ‘Tyson’ Uushona says if the re-match with Paulus ‘Ali’ Nuumbembe could be made he will silence the “Silent Assassin” once and for all and challenge IBO champion Isaac Hlatswayo.
Uushona, who is possibly Namibia’s most talented boxer, has previously prevailed over the “Silent Assassin” who recently came back to Namibia to pursue both his boxing and army careers after he lost the Commonwealth title following a nasty cut.
Uushona feels the re-match between him and Nuumbembe could be the best thing that could happen to local boxing as such a fight would be highly explosive and he insists it will be a “war” that would see him emerge as the winner like in the previous fight.
“It’s a very big fight. It’s a fight that can sell tickets,” he said, adding that local promoters should not kill the sport by pairing the best like the talked about Uushona/Nuumbembe fight and not by matching one big name fighter with a mediocre boxer.
On his rival he says: “I am aware that he will come out very desperately. At the end of the day the best man will win. He is good but at the end of the day talent will win the fight. I believe that after this fight he will not cry for a re-march.
“It’s a very big shame that he lost his title and he has to face me. To be honest this fight will depend on Ali. All I know is I will win and a knockout will be a bonus. If he can’t defend his title what will make him win my title?” teased the undefeated Uushona.
He said even if Nuumbembe were trained by the best trainer in the world this won’t change the outcome of the fight because at the end of the day it will be Nuumbembe and not the trainer that would have to face him in the ring on fight night.
Uushona says Nuumbembe is an old-fashioned fighter who is one-dimensional and he further said since both he and his rival want to use the fight as a stepping-stone to Hlatswayo for his IBO strap the South African could be invited as a special guest.
“I want to fight Isaac (Hlatswayo) because everyone believes he is dominating welterweight boxing in Africa. I will do what I usually do, because Isaac is the same type of fighter and just like ‘Ali’ I will put him in the same class.
Because of the way Isaac fights and the way ‘Ali’ fights it’s an old fashion of boxing that someone will have to eliminate,” said Uushona who looked extremely confident he could easily beat the two fighters.
His promoter Dolph Shilunga said South African promoter Nick Durant is the only obstacle for his fighter to have a go at the IBO title because previous efforts to talk to him for a possible match-up drew a blank after Durant failed to return Shilunga’s call.
Uushona says after the welterweight he would like to move up in weight and do battle in the different weight divisions. “I would not like to remain in welterweight forever.”
After he is done with the Nuumbembe fight, Uushona says, “I want to fight the best in the world and this will make my goal to be realized. After Ali we will take another big step.”
Durant the South African says his fighter is in such a terrific shape that he could fight both Namibians on a single night and emerge victorious but the only thing that seems to be holding the fight back is that there is no one willing to come up with the money.
“Show me the money, we will fight them anytime, anywhere. We can even give them six rounds each,” said Durant who further accused Namibian promoters of not showing interest in the fight because “they never came back to me”.
Meanwhile, Uushona used the opportunity to thank his financers namely KK Kamanya, JJ Panel Beaters, Leo Panel Beaters as well as his promoter.
“Hopefully they will continue this year and for me I won’t disappoint them,” he said.