WBO Africa super middleweight champion Paulinus Ndjolonimus of Namibia is unshaken by DR Congo’s Tshimanga Katompa’s promise to knock him out when they clash March 19 at Windhoek Country Club and Resort.
Katompa, 30, and his South Africa-based coach Assoya Junior, told Ndjolonimus to prepare to be humiliated in front of his hometown crowd.
“lt’s difficult for us to win on points in Namabia, that’s why l’ve told my boxer we must win by a KO,” said Junior.
Katompa (9-0-1 (3 KOs) is currently preparing for the fight in DR Congo’s capital city Kinshasa. The challenger is brimming with confidence ahead of the big fight where Ndjolonimus will be defending his title a second time.
“l’ve watched my opponent on video, he’s just an ordinary boxer, said Katompa. “l’m going for a KO, if possible early in the fight to avoid a controversial decision.”
Asked how he’s been handling Katompa yet he’s not in Kinshasa, Assoya Junior said: “That’s no problem at all in this age of advanced technology, l normally share with him his daily training programme on Whatsapp and we speak on phone daily.”
The 34-year-old Ndjolonimus (13-0, 11 KOs) dismissed the tough talk.
“Most of my opponents come here to knock me out but instead it’s me who KOs them. Katompa will be one of them,” Ndjolonimus declared.
“l don’t know much about my opponent. l’m going on well with my training. I’ve already started sparring. I’m training under my coach and promoter Nestor Tobias who’s assisted by Nickey Natangue, Siegfried Kapere and John Akakali.”
Ndjolonimus captured the WBO Africa middleweight title in April 2021 in Windhoek with a shocking 10th-round KO victory over compatriot and favourite Anthony Jarmann.
The two would meet again last October with similar results. Ndjolonimus was even better in the rematch, scoring a second-round KO over Jarmann to retain his WBO Africa belt.
Katompa will have his hands full fighting on enemy territory. He last fought in December 2021, battling to a draw with Selemani Kidunda in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Now he takes on Ndjolonimus in a scheduled 12-rounder in a bout which will headline Part 4 of promoter Nestor Tobias’ “Together as One” boxing series.
Tobias, the premier promoter in Namibia has managed some of the country’s finest talent, including Namibia’s first world champion, Harry Simon, Paulus Moses and former unified super lightweight world champion Julius lndongo.
–John Nene
