Heita battles Bonakaone for WBA strap

Boxing lovers can expect to be treated to “an explosive show” in Windhoek on 17 August. Mateus ‘The Beast’ Heita takes on South African Thato Bonakoane for the vacant WBA Pan Africa featherweight title.

Ex-WBF junior featherweight champion Bonakoane will be hoping his second trip to Namibia goes better than his first in December last year.

Then, he got stopped inside the opening round by Fillipus ‘Energy’ Nghitumbwa in a fight for the WBO Africa junior featherweight belt.

The WBA-fight headlines the MTC Nestor Tobias Sunshine Boxing Academy’s Together As One Part 13 bill, which also features Jeremiah ‘Lowkey’ Nakathila versus Tatenda Buningu of Zimbabwe, while decorated amateur Jonas Jonas’ third professional fight is against Nestor Amukoto.

“If you want to witness this great card, get your ticket,” says promoter Nestor Tobias.

While prospect Heita takes centre stage, one of Namibia’s greatest boxers continues his redemption journey, with Nakathila expected to add Buningu to his list of vanquished opponents.

“Lowkey fought on the highest stage already, and he lost his last two fights in the United States. On the 27th of April, he made a great comeback (against Evans Husayihwevhu of Zimbabwe) and got a great win,” says Tobias.

“Now we organised another fight for him to go there and do his best. We cannot accept anything less than a win because he has to win so he can get his top rating back in the world.”

A women’s bout, between yet to be confirmed fighters, is also on the 12-fight card.

“We want to promote formal boxing, women’s boxing and for it to be part of our boxing events at all times. That’s why we are going to always have a women’s bout on the undercard, so they can display their skill and show everybody that women can also fight,” Tobias says.

“And of course, on the undercard, we are going to have young guys like newcomer Pieter Kotze who is going to fight JC Steenkamp from Walvis Bay. That’s also going to be a great fight.”

Full Bill:

Junior Lightweight, 4 rounds – Julius Sheefeni v Silas Shangangwa; Lightweight, 4 rounds – Tangeni Salomon v Sakarias Kennedy; Welterweight, 4 rounds – Nestor Amukoto v Jonas Jonas; Featherweight, 6 Rounds – Sam Mathews v Tobias Armas; Super Flyweight, 4 Rounds – Erastus Shapaka v Tobias Amunyela; Bantamweight, 6 rounds – Nestor Thomas v Jonathan Kasheta; Super bantamweight, 6 rounds – Fillipus Shanika v Lazarus Namalambo; Light heavyweight, 4 rounds – Pieter Kotze v Jonathan Groenewald; Junior Lightweight, 6 Rounds – Sebastianus Nathanael v David Shinuna; International Lightweight, 10 Rounds – Jeremiah Nakathila v Tatenda Buningu; and WBA Pan Africa featherweight title, 12 rounds – Mateus Heita v Thato Bonokoane.