Since the new boxing club was established a few weeks ago out-of-school youth and school-going learners in Khorixas will be able to keep themselves occupied with something useful, rather than indulging in drugs and alcohol.

“Youngsters will keep off streets and spend their time on valuable things like boxing,” said Ben Horaseb, 39-year old coach of the Khorixas Boxing Club. According to Horaseb, a former trainer at the coastal based Cheetah Boxing Club, “the club has 35 junior boxers and 6 senior boxers, one of whom is female.”
The Khorixas Boxing Club which has not yet been launched, usually holds practice from Monday to Thursday at the Khorixas Youth Hall or sometimes at their coach’s house if another activity is scheduled at their practice venue.
“We are planning to organise a tournament in Khorixas for the club boxers this month,” Horaseb enthused. Besides unemployed youngsters the boxing club consists of learners from Versteende Woud Primary School, T.H.F Gaeb Primary School and Cornelius Goreseb High School.
Horaseb said that he was happy with the interest that youngsters are showing in the discipline of boxing, although soccer is the sport of choice for many young people in Khorixas.
The Khorixas Boxing Club pleaded with out-of-school youths beneath the age of 39 to come forward and be part of the sport. No fee is charged to be part of the Boxing Club and the club is part of the Ministry of Youth, National Sport and Culture programme. The club has been assisted with gloves, speedballs and sweeping ropes, among other training material, by the Ministry of Youth.
Desmond Cloete, the oldest boxer currently in the Khorixas Boxing Club said that although he is a first-time boxer, it is time that Khorixas produces boxers which are champions. Cloete also said that the street fighting skills he has learnt will now be used on someone deserving and also called upon interested youth to join the club, rather than indulge in drugs and alcohol.
Due to a lack of training he lost his previous fights many years ago, but this time since the club has been assisted with materials by the Ministry of Youth there will be winners this time around, said Brens Tjivera, a 20-year old who has tried three times in a local tournament.
The club members can be seen practicing daily in front the Youth Hall before going inside for their two-hour long practice session. Interested youth in and around Khorixas can contact Coach Ben Horaseb.