Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER World Boxing Federation (WBF) Africa heavyweight champion Elvis Moyo will fight Nigeria’s Akeem Tijani in Namibia’s coastal city of Swakopmund on Friday night in a non-title bout.
The tournament, dubbed “desert storm”, will feature eight fights, two championship bouts featuring boxers from Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, DRC, Tanzania and Namibia.
The main fight of the evening will be an International Boxing Federation (IBF) Africa junior lightweight title bout between Swakopmund fighter Albinius (Danny Boy) Felesianu and Tanzania’s Yonas Segu.
Local boxer Abraham Ndauendapo will trade leather with South African Nkosinathi Ntshangase for the WBF Africa super featherweight title.
Moyo, who gained popularity after switching to mixed martial arts in South Africa, returns to the boxing ring after a four-year absence.
The Bulawayo Bomber, who was banned from boxing in South Africa in 2014 for competing as an MMA athlete, last boxed in November 2013 against Osbourne Machimana in a WBF African heavyweight title fight in Cape Town.
Moyo is using the Namibia fight as part of his preparations for next month’s WBF Africa heavyweight title bout against Bernard Adi of Kenya on August 25 in Harare.
The South Africa-based Zimbabwean boxer goes into Friday’s fight smarting from an Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) defeat by British fighter Stuart Austin at Sun City in Rustenburg on July 8.
“I’m leaving for Namibia on Wednesday and will get to train there for two days. I’m looking forward to bouncing back into the ring to box. As much as I enjoy fighting at EFC, I love boxing and want to return with a bang. I feel ready for the fight, which I’m using as part of my preparations for the title fight I will have next month in Harare,” said Moyo.
“What I just have to do is make sure that I win with a knockout in Namibia as well as in Harare so as to increase my chances of getting another fight in Manchester, United Kingdom, later this year,” he said.
According to BoxRec.Com, Moyo has four wins from 11 boxing bouts.
His victories were against Kali Kalembe and Stephen Castle at Emperor’s Palace in 2011, Justice Silinga (2012) and Machimana in November 2013.
Moyo has lost five times to Danie Venter, Joseph Chingangu, Flo Simba and Ilunga Makaba, who knocked him out twice in 2008 and 2010.
Moyo’s draws were against Machimana at the beginning of last year and Jonny Muller in 2010.
South Africa-based Kalakoda Promotions are also organising the Harare bill that will have eight supporting bouts.
Kalakoda Promotions are working with Kwese TV in organising monthly boxing fights in different countries.
@ZililoR
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