Namibia’s veteran boxing promoter, Nestor Tobias, has turned his attention to this weekend’s global boxing spectacle between Terence Crawford and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, a bout he said the world will be watching closely, and one from which Namibia can draw both inspiration and important lessons.
Set to take place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the blockbuster fight features Crawford, the undefeated American and reigning welterweight champion, against Canelo, the powerful Mexican super-middleweight king. Tobias, speaking ahead of the clash, said the bout represents more than just two elite fighters meeting in the ring: it is a masterclass in promotion, investment, and sporting ambition.
“This is a super fight. You are looking at two top athletes in the world, each dominating their respective weight classes. Crawford has gone through the divisions, from lightweight to welterweight, even to junior middleweight, and has beaten everyone in his path. But now, he is taking on a bigger, stronger Canelo, and that is a different kind of challenge,” he said.
Tobias acknowledged the physical advantage Canelo brings to the fight, having previously held titles across four weight divisions and now firmly established at super-middleweight.
“Canelo has the weight, the power. That is a lot to deal with. But Crawford has the skills, the speed, the ring intelligence. It is going to be a war. If Crawford can withstand the power, he can win on points. But if he makes a mistake, Canelo can take him out,” said Tobias.
Beyond the fight itself, Tobias was keen to highlight how international boxing promotions are funded and executed, and how that level of investment could benefit Namibia’s own boxing scene.
“You look at how they promote their fights, it is serious business. They have full financial backing. They have got money for marketing, transport, accommodation, meals, appearance fees, and everything is covered. Meanwhile, here in Namibia, we still struggle to raise enough to pay our own boxers,” he said. Tobias highlighted many people underestimate the true costs of staging boxing events.
“When people hear that a promoter gets a million Namibian dollars, they think it’s a lot. But that barely covers logistics like travel, food, and hotels. You can’t pay top-level fighters with that. That might work for small local tournaments, but if you want to compete on the world stage, you need serious investment,” he said.
He called on both the government and the private sector to back Namibian boxing more aggressively.
“The government does a lot through the Namibian Boxing and Wrestling Control Board, but that’s more administrative. Promoters are the ones who grow the sport, bring fans, and build fighters. We need to put money into the hands of promoters if we want to put Namibia on the map,” said the boxing promoter.
With Namibian fighters continuing to impress internationally and with companies like MTC and PStBet providing some support, Tobias believes the foundation is in place.
“We can learn a lot from what’s happening this weekend. Boxing is a global sport that attracts people across all ages, genders, and backgrounds. If we want to be part of that, if we want to have Namibian boxers on those cards one day, we need to invest,” he said.