By Michael Uugwanga

THE country’s first world boxing champion, Harry ‘Terminator’ Simon (50) says he is open to a professional bout if there is good money on the table and against a well-known fighter. His last fight in a professional bout was in 2018 against Kaminja Ramadhan of Tanzania.
 

For now, Simon only fights in exhibition fights, having fought against Vikapita Beastmaster Meroro and  Paulus “Ninja” Shimweefeleni.
 

Simon became the first Namibian boxer to taste world title belt, after defeating American boxing icon, Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright in 1998 to win the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) World Super Welterweight title.
In an interview with Confidente this week, Simon said that he has not officially retired from professional boxing and that he will only fight for "big money". Boxers of his generation and those that turned professional before him have all retired and are currently fighting exhibition fights as a means of surviving outside the professional rank.
 

Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Junior, Floyd Mayweather  are three former world champions that are renowned to be fighting in  exhibition fights, while other former greats such as Ricky Hatton will make his exhibition fight in December later this year against Eisa Al Dah.
“If there is big money to fight on the table I will take it. But not against these small boys that are upcoming youngsters. I am a grown man now, but if I can get a big fight with one known guy, I will take it. Currently, I am concentrating on exhibition fights,” said Simon.  
 

“There was a time Mike Tyson wanted to do an exhibition fight with me, but he asked for a lot of money. That exhibition fight could not take place because I did not have the finance despite having asked for assistance from politicians and they went silent,” he added. 
According to him, Roy Jones Junior is his friend and is also interested in doing an exhibition with him, on condition that there is a promoter or company that is willing to assist financially. 
Simon’s great success is due to the guidance of South African former professional boxer, Brian Mitchell, who was his trainer. 
At 23 years old, Simon was already conquering the world until 2002 when his boxing career ended due to a car accident.  
The accident caused serious injuries to his arm, years later he was sentence to prison after being found guilty of culpable homicide in 2007. 
 

Simon is the father to one of Namibia’s best Welterweight boxer Harry Simon Jr. Just like his father, Simon Jr is unbeaten in 23 fights, but he is yet to reach Simon's achievement at the age of 28. Simon Jr has been changing boxing gyms and also trainers including his father who at some point was his trainer. 
 

Simon Jr is currently with African Connection (AC) promotions for the second time, having previously trained with the MTC Nestor ‘Sunshine’ Tobias Boxing and Fitness Academy.
 

Simon expressed worry over his son’s changing of promoters and gyms. 
“Simon Jr, can do it, but it is only that he is listening to lots of people. When you are young, we all make  mistakes, but fortunately I was so lucky that I was in South Africa. I also had about eight trainers in my life before I joined Brian Mitchell.”
He stressed that while changing trainers or gyms is important, it can only bring a boxer to a certain level.