Prince dazzles Ngema

South African boxer Cebo Ngema said he was left chasing shadows in Windhoek on Saturday night after losing his WBA Pan African bantamweight title fight to Immanuel ‘Prince’ Naidjala.

Naidjala won a unanimous decision on points over 12 rounds, 118-111, 118-111, 120-108.

Gracious in defeat, the gamely Ngema admitted to have been caught off-guard by the Namibian’s speed during their nail-biting main event contest of the MTC Sunshine Academy No Mercy Part 4 boxing bonanza.

Naidjala improved his record to 21 wins, two defeats and a draw from 24 fights, while Ngema dropped to five losses from 16 outings. The South African has won 9 and drawn two.

“He was just too fast for me. I was just too slow and I couldn’t catch up with his speed,” Ngema said in the post-fight interview.

“I’m not surprised (about the the result). The best man won. I’m not complaining about anything. So congratulations to the Prince.

“I was not worried about his power. I knew he was not going to knock me out and we would go until the twelfth round,” Ngema added. “I was just stuck and stiff. My hands could not go like I wanted.”

Clearly impressed with his own performance, the Prince said his rise to the WBA continental throne was inevitable.

Naidjala shaded the early rounds, landing several big shots but the sturdy South African, although clearly rattled, survived and found the resolve to keep applying pressure on the home favourite.

“It’s not just about winning, it’s how you win,” said Naidjala, who found himself on the receiving end of several crunching blows to the head in the sixth and seventh that nearly sent him to the canvas.

But a steady and calculated approach in the remaining rounds saw Naidjala record an impressive win.

“The instruction was to keep him out because he’s a strong inside fighter. I had to use my jab and move and try to catch him on the outside,” said the 30-year-old former world title contender.

“I was expecting him to be a tough fighter and he was. He’s a strong fighter. I was mentally and physically well prepared for the fight. I was prepared to box,” he added.

In the main supporting bout, Sakaria ‘Desert Storm’ Lukas kept his promise as he knocked out countryman Nathaniel ‘Sir’ Kamati in the fourth round to win the WBA Pan Africa featherweight belt.

The more experienced of the pair, Lukas controlled the tempo from the onset and never looked in any danger from his outspoken rival before producing the knock-out punch.

Kamati, touted as one of the best upcoming talents in the country, had claimed he would end his compatriot’s career, but now has to pick himself up after suffering his first defeat at any level of boxing.

As for Lukas, his promoter Nestor Tobias believes he is nearing a shot at a bigger title, just like stable-mate Julius ‘Blue Machine’ Indongo, who enhanced his credentials with a points victory over South African Zolani Marali to recapture the WBO Africa junior welterweight title.

“The aim is always to get better world ratings for these guys so they can attract world titles. We want to produce more world champions and if these guys keep pushing they will get that shot,” said Tobias.