Boxing community mourns antindi

LIMBA MUPETAMI

WINDHOEK



The Namibian boxing community has been hit hard by the loss of one of the best boxing trainers in the country.

Joseph Antindi, a trainer at the MTC Nestor Sunshine Tobias Boxing Academy, passed away on Thursday at his home village of Akweenyanga in northern Namibia after a short illness. Antindi was well respected in boxing circles as he is Namibia's finest trainer, having been involved in the success of many local boxers who reached stardom under his guidance.



Great legacy

The late Antindi trained the likes of Paulus Ambunda, who held the WBO bantamweight title in 2013 and the IBO bantamweight title in 2015 and in 2018; Paulus 'Hitman' Moses, who held the WBA lightweight title from 2009 to 2010; Julius 'Blue Machine' Indongo, a former unified light-welterweight world champion, having held the WBA, IBF, and IBO titles between 2016 and 2017; and Jeremiah Nakathila, who is the WBO global junior lightweight champion. Antindi was also grooming the current crop of young boxers, including Harry Simon Junior, before his death.

Team remembers

Nakathila took to social media saying that Antindi's contribution to the sport of boxing will forever be remembered. Nestor Tobias, owner and founder of the boxing academy, described Hantindi's death as a loss to the entire boxing community.

Tobias said the trainer played a crucial role in moulding Namibian boxing champions. Antindi was a boxer himself and competed in the welterweight category before joining the academy as a coach in 2003.

“He will forever be remembered for the role he played in taking Namibian boxing to the world. MTC Nestor Sunshine Promotions would like to express its sincere condolences to his family and we ask boxing fans to keep his family in their prayers during this difficult time,” Tobias said.