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Harry Simon
Born	(1971-10-21) 21 October 1971 (age 53) Walvis Bay, Namibia
Other names	The Terminator Onkugo
Statistics
Weight(s)	Light middleweight Middleweight Light heavyweight
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Reach	70 in (178 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	31
Wins	31
Wins by KO	23
Medal record Men's Boxing Representing  Namibia All-Africa Games 1991 Cairo Welterweight

Harry Simon (born 21 October 1971) is a Namibian former professional boxer. He is a two-weight world champion, having held the WBO junior middleweight title from 1998 to 2001, and the WBO middleweight title in 2002.

In 2002, Simon was involved in a serious car crash. He was found guilty of "culpable homicide" and sentenced to jail in 2007. Simon was released in 2009. He lost his world middleweight title owing to injuries sustained from the car accident, being stripped of the belt for failure to defend it.

In 2013 Simon won the vacant IBF International Light Heavyweight title against Geard Ajetović, and defended it against him again in 2014.

Amateur highlights

As an amateur Simon represented Namibia as a welterweight at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and had an overall amateur record of 121–9. His result was:

• Lost to Aníbal Acevedo (Puerto Rico) 11–13

Professional career

Simon turned pro in 1994 and won the WBO junior middleweight title in 1998 by defeating Winky Wright by controversial decision. The bout had initially been ruled a draw, but then a "scoring error" favoring Simon was discovered. He defended the title four times against Kevin Lueshing, Enrique Areco, Rodney Jones and Wayne Alexander. He later captured the WBO middleweight title against Sweden's Armand Krajnc in a unanimous 12-round decision. In 2002, Simon was involved in a serious car accident, sustaining injuries that prevented his defending his title; because of this he was stripped of the belt.

Simon returned to boxing in March 2007, winning an eight round decision over Stephen Nzuemb, in Namibia. He won a fight against Tanzanian Rashid Mutumla by knockout on 2 December 2010. Following his release from jail in 2009, Simon launched a comeback, recording several wins over journeyman opposition.

On 24 November 2018 Simon fought together with his son, Harry Simon Jr. They both won their fights, making it a first in Namibia for father and son to appear together, and to both win.

Professional boxing record

Outside the ring

Simon was involved in two serious car accidents resulting in fatalities. In the first accident in 2001, two people died outside Swakopmund in a hit-and-run accident. Simon's car's estimated speed was 230 kilometres per hour (140 mph). Some controversy developed around this accident, as blood samples disappeared, and originally Simon was reported to be driving. His driver later admitted to have steered the vehicle and was sentenced to 2 years in jail.

The second accident, in late 2002, saw Simon seriously injured and eventually sent to jail. Three Belgian tourists - two adults and a baby - died in the collision with Simon's Mercedes-Benz at Langstrand in November 2002. On 5 August 2005, Simon was given a two-year jail sentence, after he was found guilty of culpable homicide stemming from the November 2002 car accident, which resulted in the deaths of the three people.

On 9 July 2007, Simon began serving his two-year prison sentence for culpable homicide after losing the appeal of his 2005 conviction. Simon did not call any witnesses or testify in his own behalf during the appeal proceedings, and his conviction and sentence were not overturned. He was released in 2009. In 2020 he published a book, "Lifestyle and Treatments in Prison", detailing his experiences in jail.

See also

• List of world light-middleweight boxing champions
• List of world middleweight boxing champions
• List of undefeated world boxing champions

References

1. Ihuhua, Corry (8 July 2003). "Velasco takes Harry's title". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
2. Kambaekwa, Carlos (27 November 2018). "Brilliant Harry silences his critics...hailed as the finest leather trade in Namibian history". New Era.
3. Menges, Werner (7 December 2004). "Boxer Simon's driver sent to prison over horror car crash". The Namibian.
4. Barnard, Maggi (8 February 2005). "Expert cites speed as key factor in Simon crash". The Namibian.
5. Robberts, Elma (5 August 2005). "Simon guilty Given jail sentence". The Namibian. p. 1. Archived from the original on 1 December 2006.
6. "Former Champ Harry Simon Jailed for 2 Years".
7. Hembapu, Otniel (30 March 2020). "Simon speaks life and struggles in prison…opens up in new book". New Era.

External links

• Boxing record for Harry Simon from BoxRec (registration required)
• Harry Simon at Olympedia (archive)

• 1971 births
• Living people
• Namibian male boxers
• Sportspeople from Walvis Bay
• Ovambo people
• Competitors at the 1991 All-Africa Games
• African Games gold medalists for Namibia
• African Games medalists in boxing
• Olympic boxers for Namibia
• Boxers at the 1992 Summer Olympics
• World Boxing Organization champions
• World light-middleweight boxing champions
• World middleweight boxing champions
• Undefeated world boxing champions
• Sportspeople convicted of crimes