Windhoek
Namibia’s newly-crowned WBA Pan-African interim bantamweight champion, Immanuel ‘Prince’ Naidjala, on Saturday cruised to his 21st victory when he delivered a courageous performance to brush aside a mulish Cebo Ngema from South Africa.
Naidjala, who went into the fight at the Windhoek Country Club eager to redefine his promising career, had to heavily rely on his speed, smartness and accuracy in outscoring an immovable Ngema.
In the process he lifted the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) Pan-African interim bantamweight title.
Upon entering the ring in his usual yellow and red trunks, the Namibian boxing sensation opened proceedings with a strong jolting jab, as he looked extraordinarily sharp and determined, something that was ironically missing when he lost his title to South African Gideon Buthelezi here last year.
On Saturday Naidjala was again faced with another stronger, loud and fearless South African in the shape of Ngema, but the man known as the ‘Prince’ by his throng of followers, was not to repeat the same mistake as he moved around the ring with much ease.
Despite a few concerns about his overall defence strategy, Naidjala won the first four rounds, dominating proceedings with his full repertoire of short rights, long lefts, jabs to the body and some impressive hooks around his opponent’s head.
It was in the 5th and 6th rounds that Ngema confirmed his courage when he dropped Naidjala with a sucker punch during one of their many brawls and now with much confidence, the muscular South African fearlessly started paddling forward but it was a bewildering experience for Ngema to fully punish Naidjala.
Having noticed Ngema’s power and deadly combinations, Naidjala roped in the 9th and 11th rounds with the help of his deadly, flicking jab which gave him more room for a breather, while also fully applying his art of lightning punches followed by swift movement to safety.
Ngema kept coming gallantly forward in search of a late upset but was largely embarrassed.
When one of the South African’s wild swings hit a rope, Naidjala was looking back at the spot from halfway across the ring with the expression confirming he was not where his rival thought he might have been as the Namibian put the finishing touches to his latest masterpiece.
In the main supporting bouts, Sakaria Lukas beat Nathaneal Kamati to capture the vacant WBA Pan-African featherweight title, while Julius Indongo successfully defended his WBO junior welterweight title against South African opponent Zolani Marali.