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Durandt turning out champions

Damien Durandt watches two boxes in a sparring session.
Damien Durandt watches two boxes in a sparring session.

Damien Durandt is delivering on the promise he made last year after his father, Nick "Mthakathi" Durandt, died that he will continue producing boxing champions.

The senior Durandt produced 38 world champions, 27 international titlists and 95 South African champions.

Damien recently produced two WBF International flyweight and junior middleweight champions: Jackson "M3" Chauke and Emmany "The General" Kalombo in one night.

Three weeks ago, the 27-year-old mentor's other charge, Athenkosi Dumezweni, won the SA junior bantamweight belt and a day later Ilunga "Junior" Makabu captured the WBC International cruiserweight belt in Kinshasa, Congo.

Durandt guided Chauke, Ricky Tshabalala, Brandon Thysse and Kalombo to knockouts wins at Carnival City at the weekend.

The quartet was matched against equally competent opponents but their mental, physical fitness and resolve saw them emerge victorious even when it looked not to be going their way.

Chauke overcame Namibian Emmanuel Joseph in seven rounds while Tshabalala eventually stopped Congolese Kongolo Tshimanga in the sixth round.

Thysse made an impressive debut under Durandt by pulverising Limbani Masamba from Malawi into submission in four rounds and Kalombo broke the ribs of Chimwemwe Chiota in the first round before dropping him in the same round and the Malawian gave up in the second round.

Earlier, Shernotaigh Koopman, who is trained by Colin Nathan, stopped Charles Odjeke in the fourth round and Hendricquuez Lando of the Bonyeme Stable in Doornfontein stopped Mbiya Kanku in four rounds.

Sarah Achieng from Kenya and South Africa's Bonita van Jaarsveld kept fans on the edge of their seats with their nonstop female bout.

But Achieng proved to be too experienced and strong for the South African, who eventually dropped a points decision loss over six rounds.

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