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Work in ring not feeding Big Daddy

Osborne "Big Daddy" Machimana is relying on his day job to keep the wolf from his door rather than pinning his hopes on boxing. This despite the fact that he is a South African heavyweight champion.

Machimana says he is not enjoying the prestige of being a champ.

"I am a warehouse assistant for a clothing manufacturer in Midrand," the 38-year-old married father of two from Tzaneen in Limpopo told Sowetan yesterday.

"You cannot rely on boxing here because there is no guarantee that you will get action and earn some money."

Machimana knocked Anton Nel out in the fourth to win the national title in May last year. He then flew out to Sweden where he was defeated by Otto Wallin in a non-title fight on September 10.

"I earned some good money with those two fights but it is my day job which is helping to put food on the table for my family and also to be able to school my children," he said. "For that I pay tribute to my boxing manager Glen Craig who organised me the job."

Machimana has been a professional boxer for 17 years. He said he makes extra money by assisting heavyweight hopeful Ruan "Giant King" Visser with sparring. Visser, 26, from Vanderbijlpark, is the No 1 contender to Machimana's throne.

"He is a good friend of mine," said Machimana.

Machimana could square up against Visser considering that top contenders Nel and Justice Siliga still need to convince BSA's championship sanctioning committee that they deserve a title shot.

"I doubt that Ruan has interest in the SA title. I think his focus in international fights," said Machimana. "I get bored when I am asked about my defence because I don't have the right answers."

Machimana's biggest purse to date was R180 000.

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