Elder brother to retired multitalented athlete cum stylish-‘footie’ Abisai Tjauue ‘Shabby’ Rukero, Benestus Katuiisa Rukero was born on 8 February 1943, at Okaepe village in the Otjozondjupa region in 1943.  

The raw village boy invaded the boxing arena during a time when well established leather traders, spearheaded by Eazy Ngangura ‘Brown Bomber’ Tjahikika, Levy Riroo Hijamutiti, Simeon Mbuerendende ‘Kid Cassius’ Tjipura, Eben ‘Griffiths’ Tjivande Kahimise, Walter Kupaha ‘Clay’ Ngueihita, Jim-Jerry Ngavetene, Ambrose Hihatjikunga Kandjii, Immanuel Hijaviposa Kauejao, Kavetjemo Katuuo, Hijandarata Kavita, Cephas Nderura, Levy Rikondja Komomungondo, and the likes dominated proceedings in the dog eat dog business of leather trading.

After some intensive training sessions, the strongly built heavyweight boxer was pitted against the equally hard hitting Mbuerendende Tjipura, in an electrifying return bout that sent tongues wagging. The much-anticipated fight was scheduled at Tjipura’s fortress in his hometown, Otjiwarongo. 

Highly determined to have justice prevail after narrowly losing the first fight in controversial fashion in Windhoek, Rukero was like a raging bull going full throttle to rectify matters. He stunned the pack to the rafters at the Natives Community Hall in Orwetoveni residential area for Bantus to send his opponent to the canvas via a series of devastating blows that left the more experienced Tjipura gasping for fresh air, much to the delight of the appreciative large crowd gathered at the pocket-sized hall.      Rukero made short work of the fight, sending his opponent to the canvas with a devastating right hook that rendered the unsuspecting Tjipura, stumbling unevenly on rubber legs – thus ending the fight with a first-round knockout. Soon afterwards, Rukero called out crowd favorite Eazy Ngangura ‘Brown Bomber’ Tjahikika but found himself on the receiving end of his opponent’s devastating heavy blows. 

The more experienced and streetwise Tjahikika caught Rukero with a bullet like right hook that left him with a fractured jaw, confining him to an unwanted diet of milk like a newborn toddler for an extended period. The king of comebacks made a quicker than expected return to the boxing ring upon recovery from the broken jaw. 

Rukero gallantly requested a rematch against his conqueror, and like a wounded Tiger, the hard-punching heavyweight boxer made short work of the bout, peppering his opponent with heavy body blows that made the clearly out of sorts Tjahikika look like a beginner. Rukero comfortably won the fight. 

History reveals that the likes of recently departed senior councilor in the Ovaherero Chieftaincy, Usiel Joine Kambirongo, Ngazehingue Kahikumunu, and Axarob Uremena were among his unfortunate victims during the hotly contested sparring sessions. Rukero was a real Beast in the boxing ring, unleashing heavy blows against his clearly out of his depth, less talented sparring partners, leaving them shivering and shuffling like a fired-up ‘Boere Orkes’ (Afrikaners led Orchestra in full swing). 

The gentlemen of the ring resolved to walk away from the business of leather trading to avoid enduring potential serious bodily harm from Rukero’s merciless blows. Sadly, his promising boxing career was abruptly abbreviated because of the forced removal from Windhoek’s old location by the apartheid regime, which obligated a significant number of natives to seek shelter elsewhere.

Disgruntled residents refused point-blankly to be relocated against their will to the much-despised Katutura location in 1968. The uncompromising, hard-as-steel Rukero retreated to his home village to start a new life as a communal livestock farmer. 

Generational genes

The retired amateur boxer was the elder brother to former Hungry Lions Football Club stylish winger Shabby Rukero, uncle to prominent ‘footies’ Kilian Kavari, and bookish advocate for restorative justice Barminas Veraa Katuuo, who both cut their teeth in the top echelons of domestic football. 

Despite his disrupted short tenure in the boxing space, Rukero, without a shadow of a doubt, revolutionised local boxing among the marginalised Bantu community. 

Truth be told, the old Fox was a rare talent and a marvel to watch. May his sporting soul rest in ancestral Power.