Johannesburg – Eastern Cape seasoned boxing trainer Spokes Witbooi has thrown down the gauntlet to fellow mentors to produce worldclass fighters in order to attract private sector investment to South Africa’s fistic sport.
The veteran boxing mentor, who is chief trainer at Lukhanyo Boxing Gym in East London, believes breeding pound for pound boxers would be the answer to the lack of sponsorship in the local boxing arena.
According to him, the lack of sponsorship is the big elephant in SA boxing’s room. Traditionally, promoters have been the ones who score financial backing from the private sector.
The private sector has been moving at a snail’s pace to support boxers. Despite the challenge being old as the mountains, Witbooi is hopeful that his colleagues can turn things around.
“This has been a challenge for some time. Since I started training boxers from 1985, lack of sponsorship has been punching hard at SA boxing. I think the emergence of good potential and world-class boxers will supersede every stumbling block and finally attract the private sector.
“From a trainer’s point of view, I think we have to pull up our socks and produce what will be attractive to the private sector. This is so possible; they will come in big numbers indeed. Take it from me, it is time for boxing to rise up to the occasion,” said Witbooi.
His stable, Lukhanyo Boxing Gym, has joined hands with the local fitness gym Body Classique to continue producing worldclass fighters.
Witbooi said the partnership with Body Classique comes at an appropriate time and it will make his work easier.
“It has been my wish to get the relevant equipment to enhance our guys’ fitness and readiness for their fights. I believe in topclass professional preparations and workouts for my boxers. The Body Classique deal is all I have dreamed of as a trainer, conditioner and boxing teacher, and I appreciate it,” he said.
Talking on how they cliched the deal, he said one of their goals for this year was to elevate their stable to international standards and to provide their boxers with access to worldclass training facilities.
So, they approached Body Classique and they were keen to work with Lukhanyo Boxing Gym.
The East London-based stable is home to the highly regarded World Boxing Organisation intercontinental junior bantamweight champion Yanga Sigqibo.
The stable also has other prospects that are pushing towards national titles, at the forefront being the junior featherweight Mhlanganisi Sogcwayi and flyweight Sikho Moshani.
Meanwhile, the former International Boxing Federation intercontinental super bantamweight junior champion Ludumo Lamati is the latest to score a sponsored car.
He follows in the footsteps of other Mzansi talented fighters such as Zolani Tete, Xolisani Ndongeni and Thulani Mbenge, who are cruising around in sponsored vehicles.
By Malibongwe Bhido
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