Businessman Duduzane Zuma has partnered with Darren “The Gorilla” Till, a Pro MMA fighter from the UK, to launch a fighting club which will uplift boxing on the continent.
The pair launched the club at the Sandton Convention Centre on Thursday.
Zuma said the Gorilla Fight Club, which aims to bridge the gap between Africa and the world, is a first of its kind, noting that it will work beyond South African boarders to make sure that other countries on the continent take part in the sport.
“The two of us coming together to do this is a step towards achieving that, because we are from different walks of life. We have a common desire and that is to grow the sport. This is important for the continent, because Africa is always the last to get an invite,” said Zuma.
“I appreciate Darren because he saw the vision, I did not have to convince him. We had the conversation about it and that is solely about bringing different worlds together and showcase the talent.”
He added that in the long run, they will look into including women in the sport, while promoting the fighters and their own brands.
Veteran South African boxer Dingaan Thobela, who attended the launch, applauded the collaboration, saying it gives hope to the fans and players of combat sports.
“I am in full support of this because it will challenge the powers that be, the sport will be taken seriously because not everyone is going to go to school to make a living out of that. I hope we will see older players partaking as well,” said Thobela.
Rapper Siyabonga Nene, widely known by his stage name Big Zulu, said as a fan of boxing he is thrilled by the launch of the club. Nene took part in and won an exhibition boxing match in Johannesburg in April.
“This will help a lot of people who are like me, who like the sport but do not know the rules. We will learn and probably become better at it. Since I started boxing, I have fallen in love with the sport,” said Big Zulu.
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