I don’t owe anyone – Tobias

Limba Mupetami WINDHOEKExperienced promoter Nestor ‘Sunshine’ Tobias says he doesn’t owe a cent to anyone, adding that he had already paid sanctioning fees for a fight he was planning on hosting.This comes after rumours have been circulating that Tobias owes the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) sanctioning fees, while a disgruntled fan has also asked why the academy only promotes one boxer – Jeremiah ‘Low-Key’ Nakathila.According to the rumour mill, Mike ‘Silent Assassin’ Shonena is “in prime form” and also has ambitions of landing a world championship fight, after defending his WBO Africa title four consecutive times.‘Tell the truth’“Tobias should tell the truth. Nakathila isn’t being sidelined from getting a title fight; Tobias hasn’t paid sanctioning fees from when Nakathila fought Zimbabwe’s Peter Pambeni at the Windhoek Country Club under the theme ‘Champions in Action’.“That’s why he hasn’t gotten a chance to fight for a world title,” the source said.The 32-year-old Shonena, who hails from the Ohangwena Region and remains undefeated in 15 fights, has a calm demeanour and is lethal when he steps in the ring with his well-calculated jabs and hard punches.Having beaten most African fighters in his division, the Namibian last fought in 2019 when he shrugged off China’s Youli Dong in a WBO ‘Battle vs China’ international bout at the Ongwediva Trade Fair, winning by unanimous decision.Abilities aside, however, the reason why Shonena’s gloves have been gathering dust is because the sanctioning fees for his last fight also haven’t been paid, according to the source.Fighting a losing battleIn response to the rumours, Tobias said he had a WBO title fight scheduled before the Covid-19 lockdown measures were implemented, and added that the sanction fees had already been paid.“That means I have credit with the WBO. Your sources are fighting a losing battle and I don’t care about them as they are just destructors.“The plan for all our fighters remains the same – keeping them busy and keeping their dreams alive to fight for the world title, and it’s no different when it comes to Shonena.“He is highly rated and in a very difficult division, but this is an exciting challenge,” the promoter said.‘I never turn away from a fight’“I never turn away from any fight and that is why I manage to produce world champions and will continue doing that. Shonena is one of our hopeful fighters. We are pushing him step by step and he will get there,” Tobias added.“Nakathila is there [at the top] and that is why I have been talking about him all the time. Shonena is one of the most active WBO champions by far. He is close to my heart and also a brother to me, but he has to earn his stripes and he will get there.”Requests for comments sent to WBO representative Leon Panoncillo and Shonena went unanswered. - limba@namibiansun.com

I don’t owe anyone – Tobias

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-10

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I don’t owe anyone – Tobias

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-10

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