Martin Mukungu is the new WBO Africa Junior Lightweight Champion after stopping Flame Nangolo in just one minute and 35 seconds of the opening round on Saturday night at the Roman Catholic Hall in Windhoek.

The victory saw Mukungu make good on a promise he had repeated throughout the build-up to the fight, predicting that he would knock out the defending champion and bring the title back to Rundu.

From the opening bell, Mukungu started aggressively and landed an early punch that appeared to hurt Nangolo. The defending champion attempted to recover by tying up his opponent, but Mukungu remained composed and continued to apply pressure. Moments later, while Nangolo was still trying to recover, Mukungu connected with another punch that sent the champion to the canvas, prompting the referee to stop the contest.

The result carried added significance given the history between the two fighters. Before turning professional, Mukungu and Nangolo had previously met in the amateur ranks, where Nangolo was awarded the victory. Mukungu believed he had done enough to win that amateur contest and viewed Saturday night's title fight as an opportunity to settle the score, expressing complete confidence before stepping into the ring.

Sunshine Boxing promoter Nestor Tobias said that after keeping Mukungu in camp for two months ahead of the title fight, the victory was well deserved. Meanwhile, Flame Nangolo saw his reign as champion come to an end. Despite the setback, AC Boxing congratulated Mukungu on the victory and thanked its supporters for their continued support.

For Mukungu, the victory means more than becoming an African champion; he dedicated the title to the people of Rundu, saying the achievement belongs to a community that rarely gets the opportunity to celebrate sporting success on this scale.

His journey to the title has been marked by hardship and perseverance. Mukungu lost both his father and brother at a young age before relocating to Windhoek, where he was raised by his uncle. For more than ten years, that same uncle has served as his trainer, mentor, and father figure, guiding him through both the amateur and professional ranks to championship glory.