Team Energy arrives in Japan

Boxing
Fillipus "Energy" Nghitumbwa and his team have arrived in Asia for a high-level battle.
Jesse Kauraisa
  • 5 Days Ago 11 October 2024
MTC Nestor Sunshine Boxing Promotions trainer and promoter Nestor Tobias has confirmed that their camp has arrived safely in Japan and that the team is in high spirits ahead of their big fight against a former world title holder.

Fillipus “Energy” Nghitumbwa will face former world title holder Yukinori Oguni of Japan in Yokohama in a non-title international fight on Sunday.

Promoter Nestor Tobias stated that the boxer is filled with excitement and is eager to step into the ring.

“We arrived safely, and we are just acclimatizing since we are in a different country. I can say that Energy feels good and is ready to make the most of this fight,” Tobias said.

According to the current WBO world rankings, Nghitumbwa (ranked ninth in the 55.34 kg division) and super middleweight Paulinus Ndjolonimus (ranked fourth) are the only Namibians positioned in the top 15, putting them in contention for world title opportunities in the near future.

Nghitumbwa has fought 16 professional bouts, winning 14 of them (12 by knockout). He has never been knocked out, and his only two career losses were both by decision, including his pro debut fight in September 2017 against Jonas Matheus. He avenged that loss with a third-round KO win in April 2021.

As the traveling underdog, the Namibian was also unable to upset the favoured former world title holder in three weight classes, John Riel Casimero of the Philippines, in their WBO Global title fight in Parañaque in May last year.

This weekend, the ambitious Nghitumbwa will face a Japanese opponent whose 26-fight pro career (since 2009) has yielded 21 wins (8 by knockout), two defeats (both by KO), and three draws. The 36-year-old Oguni previously held the IBF world title belt until September 2017, when he was beaten by his countryman Ryosuke Iwasa after the referee stopped the fight in round six.