Mokone stages boxing fest

19 March 2010 - 02:00
By Bongani Magasela

WINSTON Mokone, the unsung boxing trainer from Randfontein, will stage an amateur boxing tournament in Mohlakeng tomorrow afternoon in an attempt to unearth more talent.

This is the man who moulded Malcolm "The Stone" Klassen.

Mokone's tournament will take place at the Mohlakeng Recreation Centre from 2pm. It will feature about 30 bouts. Admission will be free of charge.

The soft-spoken mentor, a former professional fighter, says this event follows an awareness campaign he embarked on in Mohlakeng last month.

"Since the awareness campaign, 62 youngsters joined my academy. In total I have about 100 amateur boxers. I have produced five SA amateur champions of which two have left for other camps," he says. "I will do my best to produce fighters in Mohlakeng."

Mokone's skills were perfected by Bokkie Martins and Joe Bokker.

These two mentors are credited with the successes of multiple title winners Jan Bergman and Simon Ramoni.

Martins seems to have lost interest in the sport while Bokker works with Mokone, who parted ways with Klassen in 2001.

Mokone is one of the few active trainers in the area that is home to dogs of war such as Peter "Terror" Mathebula, Aladin Stevens, Bergman and Ramoni.