ONGWEDIVA – The Namibian boxing community is gearing up for an exciting exhibition match as Hedison Nghipondoka, popularly known as ‘Bulelo’, prepares to face former World Boxing Organisation (WBO) bantamweight and International Boxing Organisation (IBO) bantamweight champion Paulus Ambunda in an exhibition fight on 29 December.
The highly anticipated 12-round exhibition bout is set to take place on 31 December at the All-Season Restaurant in Oshakati.
Bulelo, a boxer and trainer at Bulelo Boxing Academy, expressed his determination to knock out Ambunda, underscoring the significance of the match against a former world champion.
The bout originated when Ambunda called out fellow boxers for exhibition matches during a press conference – and Bulelo, inspired by Ambunda from a young age, accepted the challenge. “This is one of the biggest matches. Ambunda is a former world champion, and I have been a fan of him from a young age. He inspired me to start boxing. The fight came about after he requested fights, and nobody wanted to face him. With my confidence and abilities, I stood up and accepted the fight, and here we are,” Bulelo explained.
Confident in his skills, Bulelo predicted a swift victory, declaring his intent to take down Ambunda in less than five rounds. The bout is set to be contested in the super middleweight division, a category Ambunda has not previously fought in, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the matchup.
“Come Friday, 29 December, at All Season Inn, people are going to witness what they have never seen before in Namibia. I am not going to hold back; I am going to hit him so hard,” Bulelo declared.
Regarding his preparation, Bulelo shared insights into his training regimen, highlighting the involvement of a Cuban trainer.
He expressed confidence in his physical condition, citing successful training sessions and the anticipation of showcasing his capabilities in the upcoming bout.
“I have a guy from Cuba who is training me, and we are currently in good shape. I have taken down three guys in training – and with this bout coming up, I will surely show him what I am capable of. He (Ambunda) is my role model – but at this point, I am not going to hold back,” Bulelo concluded.
Efforts to obtain comment from Ambunda proved fruitless, as his mobile phone was off.