Limbani ‘Lion Heart’ Masamba saved Malawi’s boxing face as he became the only boxer out of six representatives to chalk international victory on Saturday in three different countries.
He knocked out Namibian undefeated champion Alfeus Shilongo in his own homeland in the second round of their eight-round bout. Masamba’s triumph over an opponent, whose seven-bout record has now been soiled with defeat, has made him the only Malawian boxer to pull a victory in Namibia.
“Limbani Masamba gave us the result we have been waiting for. He came from round one throwing good fast combinations and his opponent did not seem to have answers. He was stunned with the hard punches that forced him kiss the canvas in the second round,” said No Pain No Gain Boxing Promotions chief executive officer Craig Rousseau, who organised the Zambia and Namibia bouts in collaboration with Zimbabwe’s Delta Force Boxing Academy.
Masamba shone in a night that saw South Africa-based prominent heavyweight boxer Isaac Chilemba suffering a narrow defeat against Eleider Alvarez on points in Canada, the same as his compatriot Felix Mwamaso who lost to Kriat Kamanya in Namibia.
In Zambia, Aubrey Masamba was knocked out in the second round by Alfred Muwowo while Charles Misanjo retired in the fourth round against Congolese-born Mbiya Kanku.
The country’s sole female ambassador Anisha Bashir lost to Zambian Lorita Muzeya. Bashir was knocked out in the fourth round of her first professional fight.
According to Rousseau, Bashir was great in the first and second rounds.
He said Bashir was fast and aggressive that her bigger opponent bled from the mouth, but the Malawian totally ran out of gas due to inexperience and lack of endurance. n
