He may not have any silverware to show for all his hard work, determination and commitment, but crowd-pleasing lightweight fighter Raymond “Li Tutu” Kupula confessed to having made good money which will stand him in good stead when he starts promoting fights.

The 32-year-old Congolese has hung up his gloves, though not officially. Already he holds a promoter’s licence which was registered back home under RKL International Boxing Promotions.

“I am no longer fighting; I will now be doing coaching, managing and promoting,” he said on Wednesday. “I will have a tournament in Congo on April 30. It will be a development tournament in Kinshasa just to bring boxing back in Congo.”

He says he plans to feature one SA fighter in that tournament. “This is my small way to show gratitude to SA as a country for being good to me,” he said. “This is where I learnt lots of things about boxing and other things.”

He has been living here since 2010. Kupula first joined veteran trainer Kosie Wiese, who was also responsible for the career of Kupula’s homeboy Zack “The Black Warrior” Mwekassa.

“I stayed at Kosie’s place,” said Kupula, who lost his first fight in SA to Bongani Dlamini, who died in September 2011. .

Kupula had fought nine times back home before coming to SA. He later joined Manny Fernandes and stayed with him for five years.

Covid-19 spoilt everything in 2020. “I went home before going to Dubai and Mexico just to learn more about boxing,” said Kupula who added that he would open his gym in Rivonia next weekend.

“I plan to have just one fight and retire officially.  I made good money in boxing. I had sponsors that paid me and I was also a personal trainer.”

It is rare that a boxer will openly say they made good money. Hopefully Kupula will reward fighters accordingly, for them to say the same.