Staff Reporter
A DOMINANT quarter-final victory has guaranteed Philip Pumulo Mutakela Haoseb a medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games after he defeated New Zealand’s Alex Mukuka in the men’s 55kg division to reach Friday’s semi-finals.
Haoseb claimed a 4-0 split decision victory over Mukuka in a closely contested bout, becoming the latest Namibian boxer to advance to the final four of the competition.
With both losing semi-finalists automatically receiving bronze medals under Commonwealth Games boxing rules, Haoseb has already secured a place on the podium.
He will face India’s Jadumani Mandengbam in the semi-finals on Friday, 31 July, with a place in the gold medal bout at stake.
Haoseb’s victory secured Namibia its seventh boxing medal in Commonwealth Games history.
Reacting after the fight, an emotional Haoseb expressed his pride in representing Namibia.
“I said it before, and I’m going to say it again: I’m a Namibian. We don’t get knocked out. We win,” he said.
Haoseb admitted he had plenty on his mind before stepping into the ring but said he remained focused on the task at hand.
“There were a lot of things going through my head, but I focused them all on him, so I had to focus and lock in. I wasn’t expecting much from him, but he did his thing. It was a good fight and a tough fight. I actually made it look harder for myself,” he said.
Reflecting on the physical contest, Haoseb said he embraced the challenge.
“He’s a man, I’m a man. You can’t hit me and I keep quiet. We hit each other until one stops. One down, another to go,” he said.
Haoseb will now look to continue his impressive run when he takes on Mandengbam for a place in the final.
Photo: Screen grab SuperSport
