I lost interest in boxing – Meroro

Professional boxer Vikapita 'Beastmaster' Meroro says he did not want to end his boxing career the way he did, but the feeling in the ring was too intense for him.Meroro recently retired from boxing after losing to South African Kevin Lerena when he threw in the towel in the fifth round.The Namibian boxer has been criticised by many for his performance in the ring that night.Sport Wrap sat down with him to take us through his boxing journey.He said after a car accident he was involved in last year, his love for boxing took a nosedive.“I had a car accident last year so from then I was just not interested in boxing, I don't know if it was because of the injury but my heart was just not into boxing,” he said.Meroro was also heavily criticised about his fitness, but the boxer maintained that he was well prepared and fit for the bout.“I was mentally and physically prepared for this fight, it is just that I lost too much weight but everybody lose like that in boxing. The time from the weigh-in to the fight I felt was not enough, but I was really into the fight because that guy is not a tough boxer, he is not special and does not have a powerful punch.“I started training last year as I was supposed to fight but it was cancelled so I was off a bit and came back when I got my last fight and that was when I decided this was hard for me and I couldn't take it anymore so just after this fight I have to retire because I am getting old and my body is getting big and I cannot go to heavyweight because there are huge guys so this is where I totally lost interest in boxing,” he said.He added that despite being fully into the fight, he just had to give up but it was not because of Lerena's punches.“I was in the fight but then I had to give up the fight because I was feeling heavy, and felt this blackness in my eyes so I could not allow myself to be beaten and knocked out. The rule of boxing says a boxer should have to protect himself all the time so this is why I had to give up the fight,” he explained.Meroro has been a professional boxer since 2005. He recalls one of his fights in 2015 as his worst nightmare.“I have been in professional boxing since 2005 and there are so many lessons that I have learned from the sport but the fight I had in 2015 in Russia with Dmitry Kudryashov was the worst punishment I got in my life because that guy got me right and beat me where it hurts, and that is a fight I will never forget.”He said the fight against Isaac Chilemba was his toughest encounter ever.“My fight against Chilemba was the toughest but then I was at my prime age and I had to take it because I was still strong and young but he outboxed me and was cleverer than me. I managed to finish the rounds but although I was leading on points he had so much power. And after that fight I started fearing, what if I lose again, and maybe that was why I lost this fight.“Maybe I also took too much time to come back to boxing so maybe there was a need for a warm-up fight before Lerena, but the fight in Russia was the worst nightmare of my career and the toughest I ever had,” he said.He said his last days of boxing had become boring, as he did not enjoy the sport he once loved.RegretsMeroro said he was sad about ending his career on a losing note.“I do have regrets and that is when I first fought Chilemba and lost that important fight and now when I lost this last fight against Lerena, although I really wanted to go out with a win, so I never wanted to end my career this way but giving up a fight in such a way is my biggest regret,” he said.Meroro maintained that a request by the undefeated Harry Simon perhaps could have helped him win the fight.“Maybe his assistance might have brought some improvement and I think he could really push me more, like in sparring, but seeing him at the venue was great and encouraging but on the other side I was alone in the ring and you do not know what I was feeling,” he said.He now plans to spend time with his family but would love to become a boxing trainer at a later stage.“My plan is to go into training but that is a long-term plan and because I am coming from the village I want to discover other boxers from the villages and bring them to the city,” he said.EncouragementMeroro encouraged all athletes to train harder. “We should believe in hard work and when you fall you pick yourself up and don't feel ashamed, just go home and come back stronger.”He ends his professional boxing career with a record of 34 fights and six losses.KAINO NGHITONGO

I lost interest in boxing – Meroro

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-15

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I lost interest in boxing – Meroro

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-15

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