by Tomi Pradarics
Super featherweight contender Jeremiah Nakathila is planning to finish the year with a bang. The Namibian boxer will step into the squared circle as a chief supporter of a local card promoted by Kalakoda Promotions in Cape Town, South Africa on Friday.
Nakathila, who is currently ranked No. 5 by the WBO at 130 pounds, will face off South African Prince Dlomo. The Namibian pugilist is scheduled to defend his WBO Africa belt for the fifth time.
The hard-punching Nakathila (16-1, 12 KOs) has had a successful year with two massive knockout victories in title defenses. In March, the Namibian demolished fellow heavy-handed Ghanaian Patrick Okine in four rounds after the titleholder knocked his foe out of the ring with a thunderous right hook. In August, Nakathila traveled to the west coast of his native Namibia where he shot off tough Wilson Masamba with a pair of right hook-straight left combination from his southpaw stance.
The Namibian team arrived in Cape Town on Christmas Eve and planning to give a showcase performance against Dlomo (10-7-1, 4 KOs) that could help getting a meaningful opponent leading up to the new year for Nakathila.
“It's a very important fight for Nakathila, and it has certainly been a very busy and active year for him. With this fight, he would have defended his continental title three times successfully and he is getting better and better with every fight just enjoying his boxing and knocking out opponents. I expect him to do well against Dlomo and seal the year off with another victory,” said the Namibian fighter’s promoter, Nestor Tobias to BoxingScene.com.
“Dlomo is a good fighter, but like all [Jeremiah’s] other opponents he will quickly realize that he is fighting a world-class fighter in Nakathila. I know that my guy will defend his title successfully, no doubt about that.”
The defending titleholder and 130-pound contender does aware he needs to take care of business against Dlomo in order to be able to step up in class come 2019.
“Dlomo is a good fighter, but he will simply be fighting a boxing star in the making and that means I will and should win the fight, and no disrespect to him at all,” stated Nakathila, who is aiming to increase his knockout/win streak to ten come Friday.
“I have enjoyed a good streak of knockouts in my past fights, but a win is a win either way it comes. If the opportunity is there to knock him out, I'll gladly produce it.”
Tobias and his fighter are also watching closely another event that takes place only two days following Jeremiah’s bout in Tokyo, Japan. The mentioned show will be headlined by the WBO super featherweight world champion Masayuki Ito who is scheduled to put his newly won title up for grabs for the very first time against mandatory challenger, unbeaten Evgeny Chuprakov.
The Russian Chuprakov (20-0, 10 KOs) caused the only blemish in Nakathila’s record thanks to a highly controversial majority decision win over the Namibian contender back in November 2016 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
The Namibian contingent would welcome an opportunity against the winner of the Ito-Chuprakov bout without second thoughts.
“Ito vs Chuprakov will be an interesting fight. Nakathila once fought Chuprakov and lost against him on points in Russia very controversially but that's water under the bridge,” described Tobias.
“I am impressed with Ito and conditions expect him to successfully defend his title come December 30th. We would welcome an optional defense against the winner at any time and making every effort to communicate with both camps.”
The winner of the upcoming world title bout between Ito and Chuprakov will most likely have an optional defense of the WBO belt in the spring of next year.
You can reach Tomi Pradarics at pradaricst@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TomiPradarics.
