Carlos de Soussa, the head coach of Team Namibia, has said that after months of preparation, his boxers are ready for war ahead of the upcoming International Mixed Martial Arts World Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Namibia will be among several countries participating in this year’s championships, slated for 20–27 July in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The country has fielded four fighters for the much-anticipated championship.

The four fighters are Yordanis Hernandez Sampre (17), who will compete in the bantamweight division,Waylon Beukes (15), who will take part in the 57kg lightweight division, Shange Kamwi (17), who will battle it out in the featherweight division, and Stephan Kuhn, who will compete in the heavyweight category.

The team is set to depart this Friday, and according to their mentor De Soussa, the fighters are well-prepared. Despite it being a debut for most of them, he expressed confidence in what the boys have shown during their training. 

“Preparation started months ago, and it was so hard. However, the pain didn’t stop them from pushing. Some guys had to drop from 127kg to 97kg in 10 weeks, which took time,” he said.

“Overall, I am happy with the team’s readiness. All the boys have spoken to me about how excited they are for this championship and what they want to achieve. I believe in them, and we are moving as a team. We hope to bring medals when we return from this week-long journey,” he added.

Meanwhile, the youngest fighter on the team, Beukes, shared with this publication how much the opportunity means to him, declaring that he is ready for any opponent in his weight category. 

“It’s an opportunity I have been longing for. It’s a big stage, and I’ve always dreamed of representing my country on a stage like this. This is huge for me. All thanks to the coach for staying by my side and believing in my potential. I am ready to face any guy I’m pitted against. I’m ready for war,” he said.

mkambukwe@nepc.com.na