Maurice Kambukwe
WINDHOEK- Namibia’s telecommunications giant MTC has officially taken Oshana Region-based boxing stable Kilimanjaro Boxing Club under its wings, it was announced yesterday.
At a well-attended press conference in the capital yesterday, MTC announced that Kilimanjaro Boxing Club will now join the likes of Nestor Sunshine Boxing &b Fitness Academy and Salute Boxing Academy, who are both sponsored by MTC.
As for Kilimanjaro Boxing Club, MTC penned a three-year sponsorship deal worth N$1.3 million and will see the Oshana Region-based club getting an annual grant of N$400 000 for its various activities.
Speaking at the presser yesterday, MTC’s Corporate Communications Manager John Ekongo said that over the past years, Namibia has managed to produce a good number of world champions and numerous African champions – notwithstanding the country’s small population, something Ekongo described as a remarkable achievement.
Those achievements triggered their decision to take Kilimanjaro Boxing Club under their stewardship and by doing so invest further in boxing and accord young fighters more opportunities.
According to Ekongo, with the arrival of Kilimanjaro Boxing Club, it will now allow MTC to create more opportunities for talented and unearthed boxers plying their trades beyond the boundaries of Windhoek.
Speaking at the same occasion, founder of Kilimanjaro Boxing Club Joseph Bernard, who was once a boxer in his heydays, said profound gratitude to MTC for making a decision of investing into grassroots boxing through his club.
He vowed to put MTC’s investment to good use by granting more youngsters an opportunity to compete at the highest level and further nurture their talents, while also flying the MTC flag high in the northern part of the country.