WINDHOEK – It was slightly over more than 50 years ago at Windhoek’s Old Location that two ambitious young men sharing the same vision met in flesh in what would become a long lasting relationship.
And while the name of one Joseph Shikongo, aka Joe Archer, will ring a bell in boxing circles – that of his soul mate Reihardt Tjitemisa, better known as ‘Reyney Touch’ during his days as journeyman featherweight amateur boxer, will sound anonymous.
Well, the latter is the man accredited with having put Shikongo on the road to become Namibia’s first professional boxer during the height of apartheid.
The pocket-sized Tjitemisa took a significant number of amateur boxers under his wing that included Issy Ngangura Tjahikika, Jeremiah Jagger, Levy Riroo Hijamutiti, Simeon ‘Kid Cassius’ Tjipura, aka Mbuerendende and in later years Ernst ‘Buster Mathis’ Tjeriko, Joe Hambira and Joe Murangi, amongst a horde of upcoming boxers.
Tjitemisa, 65, left his native land in 1973 to escape the hardships of apartheid and has ever since been living in the United States of America. He is currently based in Shelton City in Connecticut, USA.
Living miles away from home did not stop him keenly following the progress of Namibian boxing and this is his honest view of the standard of local professional boxers.
“There has been quite a huge jump from amateur level to professional but I’m not quite comfortable with the current direction taken buy local promoters. The success of local boxers demands the inclusion of expertise from abroad because this is the only way they can achieve international recognition,” quips Reyney in his posh American accent.
He pulled no punches and says local promoters should engage the services of international trainers and promoters if they are to move to the next level.
“It’s incumbent upon them to seek assistance from people abroad in order send boxers overseas for high-profile fights including world title bouts.”
In the meantime, Reyney has teamed up with his old buddy Joe Archer and the two former boxing greats are planning to man up to their tradition by taking boxing to the roots with the construction of a training centre mooted for the northern part of Namibia in the not too distant future.