WINDHOEK – Kiriata Kamanya, owner of Salute Boxing Academy, has accused boxing promoter Nestor Tobias of attempted sabotage when he supposedly tried to stop Salute’s boxing tournament staged in Otjiwarongo this past weekend.
Speaking during a media conference at a local hotel on Thursday, he said Tobias, who had made an urgent court application to stop Paulus Ambunda from facing Tanzania’s Tasha Mjuaji in a featherweight bout, went a step further by advising the organisers of the Otji Festival to stop the fight.
“Ever since I launched my academy [in July 2015], he has done and said things to hurt my academy; he has no interest of boxing heart,” Kamanya said.
He said he has proof in the form of emails sent by Tobias to the organisers of the Otji Festival in Otjiwarongo to stop the boxing bonanza.
“Willbeforce (Shihepo) was supposed to fight a guy from Malawi while Lucas Ndafoluma was supposed to fight someone from Zimbabwe,”he said. “But the opponents withdrew at the last minute because I believe people from Namibia called the opponents and advised them not to come to Namibia.”
Kamanya said he will not be deterred by people like Tobias, who want to sabotage him “out of jealousy.”
He noted that he had been supporting Tobias financially and spiritually since he started his academy in the year 2000, but now wonders why he is getting such treatment from his former boxing business partner.
Kamanya then called on the Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board to invite all boxing stakeholders in the country to iron out their differences.
Speaking at the same event, Fredrich Nghiyolwa, an executive member of SBA, said they are now tired of being treated as second-class citizens in the boxing business.
“We call upon Nestor to stop the sabotaging tactics; rather unite in the name of boxing. We are no longer going to back away on the side of the rings, we will take the fight to the centre of the ring,” he warned.
Contacted for comment, Tobias said he has no time to respond to whatever was said about him by anyone.
“I am here to help those that want to improve boxing,” he said.
– Nampa
