14 Dec 2016

Botswana’s most decorated professional boxer, Herbert Nkabiti has called on for strong ties in the boxing fraternity as that is the only way the  sport can survive.

Nkabiti who is the first Motswana to reach professional boxing standards holds a record of 12 fights with nine wins, one draw and two losses and yet with such an impressive track record, he has failed to secure a long term sponsor, forcing the family man to dig deep into his pockets.

He was briefing the media in Francistown about his preparedness for his upcoming title fight scheduled for 2017.

The hard-hitting pugilist stated that unlike other professional boxers who had  dieticians, physiotherapists and psychologists attending to their needs in preparations for their fights, he had to rely mostly on the little available resources availed to him, often using the Nyangabwe Hill in Francistown as a training ground.

Nkabiti’s coach and former Francistown boxing legend, Moses Kamera, popularly known as “Rocket machine” in boxing circles called for the Francistown community to rally behind the boxer and show solidarity as that could pay dividends to the city through sport tourism.

Kamera further elaborated that if promising boxers such as Nkabiti could be given the chance by the business community in Francistown, hosting title fights in the city would not be a far-fetched idea as cities such as Kinshasa of the then Zaire had managed to do that in 1974.

The retired boxer stated that poor administration and working relationships had affected the boxing body in the country as it continually fails to host fights in the country for the boxers.

He elaborated that hosting fights in the country was the best way to give mileage to professional boxers in the country and ensure that they were able to attract sponsors due to the exposure they would get.

He stated that it was very important for boxing professionals because when a boxer wins a title match, there had to be a hosting of champions for the winner to defend his championship, and it had been their wish that such bouts be held in Botswana, but with no support, such remains a challenge.Nkabiti’s corporate manager,Malcolm Molete stated that though they had been faced with a challenge of securing sponsors for the boxer, but such challenges would not deter them as they were determined to grow sport and unleash future stars.

Nkabiti also took this chance to also present a rising boxing star that he has been training and preparing for the world stage, one Gift Baanami. ENDS