Dibheko challenges Naule

NAMIBIAN champion boxer Jason ‘Taks’ Naule will possibly go into the toughest fight in his professional career when he takes on South Africa’s Pius ‘Dida’ Dibheko in what promises to be a spectacular clash for the WBA Pan-African junior welterweight title tomorrow night.

The fight forms part of the famous Telecom Namibia Box ‘n Dine extravaganza which will be held at the Windhoek Country Club. Naule has been following a rigorous training programme for the past few months as he will be out to defend the title that he won on Namibian soil.Naule said he was ready for the fight and come Saturday, Dibheko would be a disappointed man.”I completed my training programme aimed at this fight with success and I am ready to go out there and prove my worth,” he said.When asked about his disadvantage in terms of experience in the ring as a professional, Naule said he does not fear Dibheko’s record.”He only started earlier than me, that’s all.”Dibheko has 18 fights to his name, with 13 wins and three losses.He drew once, while Naule has won all 12 fights that were thrown at him.Dibheko said he wants to go the full 12 rounds.”I actually came here to fetch the title.I am very confident, but nothing makes a boxer more confident than if he is fit.A boxer should be fit to be confident and right now, I am up to it,” he said.Dibheko is in Namibia for the third time and will seek a win after he lost and drew his two fights here.He first lost to Kanime Kanime and drew the other fight against Daniel ‘Open Fire’ Kashela.He claimed that he did not draw his fight against Kashela, but won it.In another fight that is expected to provide fireworks ahead of the main fight, Namibia’s Wilberforce ‘Black Mamba’ Shihepo will take on Zimbabwe’s Tinei Mharidzo.In the absence of Shihepo at yesterday’s press conference, Mharidzo vowed to destroy Shihepo, as he was here to show what he is made of.The two will do business in the super middleweight division, but Shihepo has been around in the ring six more times than his opponent.Shihepo has only lost twice, while he has won 13 of his 16 fights.Mharidzo has also lost three from his total of 10 fights.Mharidzo said tomorrow would prove which of them is the biggest snake, adding that he did not want to talk much, but would comment after the fight.The other highlight of the evening will involve Namibian featherweight champion, Siegfried ‘SBK’ Kaperu, who will go up against Zimbabwe’s Peter Pambeni.Pambeni, who is the national champion in that category in his country, said he was well prepared for the fight and would not spare Kaperu.”I have not seen him fighting, but that does not matter as I will show him how opponents are beaten.”Both fighters have fought 15 times, but Kaperu has lost three times, compared to Pambeni, who has only bowed to pressure twice.Other Namibian boxers who will be in action include lightweight Jatoorora ‘The Sting’ Tjingaveta, who meets fellow countryman, Martin Haikali in the first fight of the evening, followed by Tommy Hango taking on South Africa’s Kobus Modhlodi in the welterweight class.Gottlieb Ndokosho squares up against Joseph Katenda in the featherweight division, before Paulus ‘The Rock’ Ambunda takes on fellow countryman Johannes Gabriel in the bantamweight category.In the junior lightweight division, Junias ‘Siyabonga’ Amunyela faces South Africa’s Sam Sitole, while Matthew Niitembu takes on Albinu ‘Danny Boy’ Felesianu in the featherweight division.The flamboyant Daniel ‘Open Fire’ Kashela will also be in action and will be expected to walk into the ring with a new hairstyle as he meets Moses Mbowena of South Africa in the welterweight class.Tickets cost N$500 per individual and N$3 000 for a table of six.Call the boxing office at (061) 22 5940 for more information.Naule has been following a rigorous training programme for the past few months as he will be out to defend the title that he won on Namibian soil.Naule said he was ready for the fight and come Saturday, Dibheko would be a disappointed man.”I completed my training programme aimed at this fight with success and I am ready to go out there and prove my worth,” he said.When asked about his disadvantage in terms of experience in the ring as a professional, Naule said he does not fear Dibheko’s record.”He only started earlier than me, that’s all.”Dibheko has 18 fights to his name, with 13 wins and three losses.He drew once, while Naule has won all 12 fights that were thrown at him.Dibheko said he wants to go the full 12 rounds.”I actually came here to fetch the title.I am very confident, but nothing makes a boxer more confident than if he is fit.A boxer should be fit to be confident and right now, I am up to it,” he said.Dibheko is in Namibia for the third time and will seek a win after he lost and drew his two fights here.He first lost to Kanime Kanime and drew the other fight against Daniel ‘Open Fire’ Kashela.He claimed that he did not draw his fight against Kashela, but won it.In another fight that is expected to provide fireworks ahead of the main fight, Namibia’s Wilberforce ‘Black Mamba’ Shihepo will take on Zimbabwe’s Tinei Mharidzo.In the absence of Shihepo at yesterday’s press conference, Mharidzo vowed to destroy Shihepo, as he was here to show what he is made of.The two will do business in the super middleweight division, but Shihepo has been around in the ring six more times than his opponent.Shihepo has only lost twice, while he has won 13 of his 16 fights.Mharidzo has also lost three from his total of 10 fights.Mharidzo said tomorrow would prove which of them is the biggest snake, adding that he did not want to talk much, but would comment after the fight.The other highlight of the evening will involve Namibian featherweight champion, Siegfried ‘SBK’ Kaperu, who will go up against Zimbabwe’s Peter Pambeni.Pambeni, who is the national champion in that category in his country, said he was well prepared for the fight and would not spare Kaperu.”I have not seen him fighting, but that does not matter as I will show him how opponents are beaten.”Both fighters have fought 15 times, but Kaperu has lost three times, compared to Pambeni, who has only bowed to pressure twice.Other Namibian boxers who will be in action include lightweight Jatoorora ‘The Sting’ Tjingaveta, who meets fellow countryman, Martin Haikali in the first fight of the evening, followed by Tommy Hango taking on South Africa’s Kobus Modhlodi in the welterweight class.Gottlieb Ndokosho squares up against Joseph Katenda in the featherweight division, before Paulus ‘The Rock’ Ambunda takes on fellow countryman Johannes Gabriel in the bantamweight category.In the junior lightweight division, Junias ‘Siyabonga’ Amunyela faces South Africa’s Sam Sitole, while Matthew Niitembu takes on Albinu ‘Danny Boy’ Felesianu in the featherweight division.The flamboyant Daniel ‘Open Fire’ Kashela will also be in action and will be expected to walk into the ring with a new hairstyle as he meets Moses Mbowena of South Africa in the welterweight class.Tickets cost N$500 per individual and N$3 000 for a table of six.Call the boxing office at (061) 22 5940 for more information.