Ndevelo to Tryagain

Namibia’s immensely talented boxer Tryagain ‘The Issue’ Ndevelo is itching for success in the elite boxing category.

He has made an impression at youth level but success has been elusive in the elite tournaments. He has, therefore targeted the upcoming AFBC African Boxing Championships in the Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo as the place to finally stamp his authority as one of Africa’s prominent boxers.

He is looking to this premier boxing event, scheduled for Kinshasa from 16-26 October, in anticipation.

Ndevelo (25) made his international debut in 2016 at the Region 5 Youth Games in Angola, where he won a silver medal in the lightweight category. The following year, Ndevelo showed flashes of brilliance again, winning a bronze medal in the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas after losing in the semi-finals to Jake Claque of Australia in the lightweight division. Ndevelo first beat St Lucia’s Kareem Boyce with a first-round knockout, and in the quarter-finals he knocked out Levi Joseph of the Dominican Republic in the second round.

Having made a great impression at the youth level, Ndevelo confidently graduated to the elite stage at the Commonwealth Games 2018 in the Gold Coast, hoping to emulate one of his mentors Jonas Junias Jonas, but lost 5-0 to Australia’s Harry Garside in the lightweight category round of 16.

Despite his early exit, Ndevelo returned home feeling like a winner riding on the success of compatriot, Jonas’ final victory in the light-welterweight category. Jonas won Africa’s only boxing gold medal in Gold Coast.

“The gold medal by Jonas really inspired me, I knew he would do well in Gold Coast because in 2014 he got a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I told myself I could also do the same. In Gold Coast I lost in round 16, so I looked to improve on that in the Commonwealth Games 2022,” Ndevelo said.

MEDAL BRACKET

Before the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Ndevelo’s next elite age assignment was at the African Games 2019 in Rabat, Morocco, where he was beaten by Togo’s Anani Hounkpatin in the featherweight round of 16.

Ndevelo’s burning desire to represent Namibia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was diminished by Uganda’s Isaac Masembe who defeated the Namibian boxer in the quarter-finals during the African qualifiers in Dakar.

His most prominent showing at the elite level so far was in the Five Nations tournament in Botswana, in which he has won three gold medals in a row from 2021 to 2023.

Besides the three gold medals in the Five Nations event – involving Botswana, Angola, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa and Eswatini – Ndevelo has yet to make a big breakthrough in the elite-level tournaments. At the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, he was on the verge of moving to the medal bracket but lost in the quarter-finals to India’s southpaw Mohammad Hussamuddin.

On why he has yet to make headway in the elite events, Ndevelo said: “I have absolutely no idea on that because there was no time I felt like I have entered any of those tournaments unprepared, and mostly I’ve been eliminated in the quarter-finals. This is why I keep my head up knowing that the medals will soon come.”

Ndevelo is hoping to finally make the long-awaited breakthrough in the elite category at the AFBC African Boxing Championships in Kinshasa. Interestingly, for all his exposure, Ndevelo has yet to take part in the event, so Kinshasa will be the first time he participates in Africa’s oldest boxing tournament, which started in 1962 in Cairo, Egypt.

“I’m hoping to make a powerful debut at the African Championships and win a gold medal, I’ve been waiting for this opportunity. Now is the time for me to shine,” said Ndevelo.

“I’m going to Kinshasa to conquer, to make a mark in the featherweight division. There’s no boxer I’m scared of, they’re all worried about my presence in DR Congo. I will wipe out all of them. I want my opponents to be singing my name after the tournament because I’m going to hit them hard, and the name of my country will be on the world map,” Ndevelo vowed.

Ndevelo appeals to African countries to converge in large numbers in DR Congo to make the tournament a great success.

“This is our event, let’s all meet there to make it big. I hope it will be televised widely so that the world can see the talents in Africa,”

What of his southpaw stance?

“I’m naturally an orthodox, southpaw is an alternative but I’m now very comfortable boxing with my right foot forward,” said Ndevelo.

“I also realised most orthodox boxers have a problem coping up with southpaws, it gives me a big advantage.”

Ndevelo started boxing at the age of 11 back in 2010 at Eenhana Boxing and Fitness Academy, under the tutelage of coach Gerson Petrus who guided him to his international debut in 2016.

He later teamed up with Jonas Jonas, who convinced one of Namibia’s most prominent amateur boxing coaches, Albertus Tsamaseb, to let Ndevelo join them at his boxing academy at Swakopmund.

Ndevelo has since been under coach Tsamaseb, who is currently handling Namibia’s national team’s participation in the AFBC African Boxing Championships. – iba.sport