BOSTON — The phone call came just a couple of weeks ago and the news evoked sheer jubilation.
Walter Kautondokwa would be fighting on U.S. soil for the first time in his pro career and with the vacant WBO world middleweight title on the line.
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And on DAZN, the sports streaming service which just announced a five-year, $365 million deal with Canelo Alvarez.
An absolute dream come true for a relative unknown.
Kautondokwa will face Demetrius Andrade at the TD Garden in Boston on Saturday night (Oct. 20). The Namibian native was named as a replacement for Billy Joe Saunders on less than two weeks notice after the latter boxer failed a drug test.
Some would call this a self-inflicted wound by Saunders. Kautondokwa believes it to be divine intervention, as if he spoke his biggest aspiration to life from his mouth to God’s ears.
“I was really excited that I got an opportunity to come [to the U.S.] and fight for the world title,” the 33-year-old told Sporting News on Thursday following the fight’s final press conference at Fenway Park. “So, it was really good news to me. I was really happy because I’ve been waiting for this opportunity. It’s been long waiting to get a shot for the world title. Indeed, now, God has answered my prayer and the fight is on now.”
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Though he's soft-spoken, Kautondokwa gets loud in the ring, as evidenced by his 17-0 record with 16 knockouts. He'll put that unblemished ledger on the line against Andrade's own spotless record (25-0, 16 KOs).
Even if he fought Saunders as originally planned and promoted, Andrade told Sporting News that he would have had to eventually face Kautondokwa anyway.
“He would have been a mandatory,” Andrade said. “He’s the No. 1, No. 2 guy after me and Billy Joe would have fought.”
That being said, it sure seems like the former junior middleweight champion reimagined Apollo Creed and thumbed through a boxers’ directory to pick out Walter “The Executioner” Kautondokwa from Namibia as his “Italian Stallion” Rocky Balboa. Kautondokwa fought all of his fights in Namibia with the exception of one, which took place in Ghana. The charismatic, outspoken “Boo Boo” likens this makeshift fight to Canelo Alvarez handpicking the U.K.’s Rocky Fielding for a Dec. 15 bout at Madison Square Garden.
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“Nobody knows about Fielding. Who the hell is Fielding?” asked an animated Andrade, who will be aiming for a shot with Alvarez if victorious on Saturday night. “All of a sudden, everybody knows about Fielding because of Canelo. So, now, people are going to know about Walter because of Demetrius.”
And Walter appreciates the assist, but says Andrade already did his part by extending the invitation to fight. Kautondokwa plans on letting his fists bump up his own profile from here.
“Those who don’t know me will know me just as we’re speaking right now,” he told SN confidently. “They are starting to know me. They are starting to know how to pronounce my name. Especially after Saturday, after the fight, they will know how to pronounce the name.”
He continued, while joking: “All Americans will start speaking my language now.”
That's a lofty ambition, considering President Trump infamously referred to Kautondokwa’s country of Namibia as “Nambia” … not once, but twice when addressing African leaders at the United Nations last September. (We sincerely apologize, Namibia).
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Kautondokwa knows he’s at a disadvantage entering this fight, as Andrade has had a full fight camp to prepare for Oct. 20, while he had less than two weeks on ultra-short notice.
“I’m not prepared for this fight very well like the way he prepared for two months, three months because this fight has been announced for so long,” Kautondokwa said of the originally-slated Andrade-Saunders clash.
He added: “Since I was in the gym working, I will not deny the opportunity. I just have to take the opportunity and take the fight because it’s what I’ve been looking for. So, though, it came in a short notice, so I just have to take a chance.”
A chance that could be life-changing for Kautondokwa and his home land of Namibia, which counts a population of roughly 2.5 million.
Adding to his steep challenge is Kautondokwa is making his U.S. debut at the TD Garden, which is essentially Providence, Rhode Island, native Andrade’s backyard.
But when you have waited a lifetime for a shot like this, coming up with excuses doesn’t fly, at least according to Kautondokwa. He isn’t content with simply making his U.S. debut and showing up for the fight.
“I came here to do the job and go home with a belt,” he said without any hesitation.
And while he thanks Andrade for the opportunity, he’s already issuing an advance apology for what he promises to be a shocking aftermath.
“It should be a great night, it should be a good fight,” he said, “and I’m sorry for taking the belt to Africa.”
