As the year comes to an end, the MTC Nestor Sunshine Boxing & Fitness Academy has reflected on its 2025 season while also casting an eye on the year ahead. It has been a year marked by the production of five world-rated boxers and the continued elevation of Namibia on the global boxing map.
Founder and promoter Nestor Tobias described 2025 as a successful year for the stable, highlighting the high ranking of his fighters.
"This year we produced WBO Africa Champions, WBO Africa International Champions, and Global Champions. We have placed our boxers in the world rankings, where all competitive fighters aim to be, because you cannot fight for a world championship without being ranked in the top 15. As I speak now, we have five world-rated boxers, meaning these five can fight for a world title anytime they get the opportunity," Nestor Tobias said.
Despite producing quality boxers and the National Sportsman of the Year, Phillipus 'Energy' Nghitumbwa, Tobias noted that the stable faced significant hurdles regarding financial support.
"The biggest challenge we have is funding. We do not even have TV rights for our number one broadcaster, NBC. We give them events for free to show to their viewers. In reality, NBC was supposed to pay the promoters to broadcast these events. We understand the situation in our country, but I believe that through Parliament, the Cabinet, and the government, we can put together a better setup to fund sport in Namibia," Tobias added.
Looking ahead, the academy is expecting a busy 2026 calendar as they aim to bring international competitions back to Namibian soil.
"We aim to bring another world-class boxer to Namibia so that we can organize international fights here. We are working hard to secure more funds and to have more boxers competing for titles," Tobias noted.
With momentum built in 2025 and clear objectives set for the year ahead, the Nestor Sunshine Stable remains focused on strengthening athlete development and ensuring Namibian boxing continues to make steady progress on the global stage.