Hitman had sleepless nights

NAMIBIAN champion boxer Paulus ‘The Hitman’ Moses had two sleepless nights before his WBA Intercontinental lightweight title defence against Ukraine’s Andrei Kudriavtsev, he has revealed in an interview with The Namibian Sport.

Despite that, he went on to win the fight through a powerful right-hand uppercut which caused all the problems for the Ukrainian, who eventually succumbed to a host of combinations in the end. “I could not sleep because of the hype that was created around the fight.All the posters around the town (Donetsk) made me think that this was a big fight and I really need to be prepared for it.I was thinking about the fight for the two nights before it and I really did not sleep well,” he said.Moses made it 12 wins and no losses after beating the Ukrainian in a fight which he described as one of his most challenging.”In the first round, I saw him coming at me and he also did not stand back when I was going at him.He seemed like a very tough opponent, but as the fight went on, I gained a lot of confidence and went into higher gear.I did not let him come at me anymore, and by the ninth round, I was sure that I would take him out any moment,” he said.Moses, who is also the WBA Pan-African lightweight champion, was welcomed by hordes of people at the airport over the weekend.He said the experience of fighting a boxer who everybody believed could win was phenomenal.”He had 10 000 people on his side screaming for him, but I only had my trainer [Nestor Tobias] and Vikapita Meroro [another boxer] and two boys who were nearby supporting me.I even gave the two boys presents after the fight because of their support despite the massive crowd going for the local boxer.”Moses, a prolific puncher with quick footwork in the ring, said the crowd fell silent after he downed his opponent in round nine.”Nobody shouted anymore.It was all silent.We were about five people who celebrated my victory in the ring after the fight,” he said.With that win, Moses is now the number one challenger for the World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight title.His trainer, Tobias, said he would possibly only fight next year, as the current holder of the world title still has a period of nine months to fight a challenger.Thailand’s Prawet Singwancha is the current WBA lightweight champion and he will need to fight several opponents this year before taking on Moses, who says he is ready for the fight anytime.”I am always ready for any fight.I am going to become a world champion and that I know.I know to get there, there will be tough fights, but I am confident that I will win most of them,” said the boxer, whose main sponsor is NamPower.He thanked his sponsors for being behind him over the years and also said that Telecom Namibia was doing a fantastic job in developing boxing and helping the professionals to further their careers.Another Namibian boxer, Vikapita Meroro, who also fought on the same night, said he was not disappointed about the loss to Ukraine’s Stan Kastanoiv on points, because he believes that he fought well.”I expected to win that fight because I never respected the champion and I still don’t.It was the first time for me to fight over ten rounds and if given a second chance, I will knock him out,” said the young boxer.Tobias said although Meroro was young and took on one of the best boxers in his weight class, he reckons that he still has a bright future.”Meroro is a talented fighter and I am confident that he will be one of the best in the world one day.He needs time and he needs more fights to get used to the conditions.He gained a lot of experience from that fight and more is still to come,” said Tobias, who is Namibia’s most prominent boxing promoter.Meroro has so far fought nine times as a professional, with 8 wins and one loss.Meanwhile, Tobias urged the corporate world to throw their weight behind boxing, as it has been flourishing in many respects over the past few years.”I am prepared to put money on the table to host international fights because I believe that one cannot always ask without giving something,” he said.”I could not sleep because of the hype that was created around the fight.All the posters around the town (Donetsk) made me think that this was a big fight and I really need to be prepared for it.I was thinking about the fight for the two nights before it and I really did not sleep well,” he said.Moses made it 12 wins and no losses after beating the Ukrainian in a fight which he described as one of his most challenging.”In the first round, I saw him coming at me and he also did not stand back when I was going at him.He seemed like a very tough opponent, but as the fight went on, I gained a lot of confidence and went into higher gear.I did not let him come at me anymore, and by the ninth round, I was sure that I would take him out any moment,” he said.Moses, who is also the WBA Pan-African lightweight champion, was welcomed by hordes of people at the airport over the weekend.He said the experience of fighting a boxer who everybody believed could win was phenomenal.”He had 10 000 people on his side screaming for him, but I only had my trainer [Nestor Tobias] and Vikapita Meroro [another boxer] and two boys who were nearby supporting me.I even gave the two boys presents after the fight because of their support despite the massive crowd going for the local boxer.”Moses, a prolific puncher with quick footwork in the ring, said the crowd fell silent after he downed his opponent in round nine.”Nobody shouted anymore.It was all silent.We were about five people who celebrated my victory in the ring after the fight,” he said.With that win, Moses is now the number one challenger for the World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight title.His trainer, Tobias, said he would possibly only fight next year, as the current holder of the world title still has a period of nine months to fight a challenger.Thailand’s Prawet Singwancha is the current WBA lightweight champion and he will need to fight several opponents this year before taking on Moses, who says he is ready for the fight anytime.”I am always ready for any fight.I am going to become a world champion and that I know.I know to get there, there will be tough fights, but I am confident that I will win most of them,” said the boxer, whose main sponsor is NamPower.He thanked his sponsors for being behind him over the years and also said that Telecom Namibia was doing a fantastic job in developing boxing and helping the professionals to further their careers.Another Namibian boxer, Vikapita Meroro, who also fought on the same night, said he was not disappointed about the loss to Ukraine’s Stan Kastanoiv on points, because he believes that he fought well.”I expected to win that fight because I never respected the champion and I still don’t.It was the first time for me to fight over ten rounds and if given a second chance, I will knock him out,” said the young boxer.Tobias said although Meroro was young and took on one of the best boxers in his weight class, he reckons that he still has a bright future.”Meroro is a talented fighter and I am confident that he will be one of the best in the world one day.He needs time and he needs more fights to get used to the conditions.He gained a lot of experience from that fight and more is still to come,” said Tobias, who is Namibia’s most prominent boxing promoter.Meroro has so far fought nine times as a professional, with 8 wins and one loss.Meanwhile, Tobias urged the corporate world to throw their weight behind boxing, as it has been flourishing in many respects over the past few years.”I am prepared to put money on the table to host international fights because I believe that one cannot always ask without giving something,” he said.