Boxing trainer Elias Mpembe feels hard done by the death last week of former SA flyweight boxing champion Johannes “Baby Joe” Miya.

Miya trained Mpembe as an amateur boxer at Elsburg Gold Mine in Western Area. Miya was still active as a professional boxer at that time.

Miya retired in 1989 after his stoppage loss to Jacob “Baby Jake” Matlala at now defuct Shareworld centre at Nasrec, near Soweto.

Mpembe did not turn professional but started his own gym in Evaton, and Miya was his assistant. Together they produced two champions – Gauteng junior-lightweight in Nkosinathi Ntshagase ad SA junior-featherweight and WBF bantamweight woman in Gabisile Tshabalala.

Miya, who turned 65 on April 17, died at his home in an informal settlement near Eldorado Park. He was  waiting for an ambulance to transport him to the hospital at the time. He had been unwell for some time.

"It feels like a part of me has been ripped out,” said 58-year-old Mpembe.

"I was around 22 years old when I met Bra Joe. This man was my pillar of strength. He was a father, brother and actually everything to me. I have lost a part of me. Hopefully we will meet again.”

Miya won the national title in 1982 against Ranching Louw, and lost it to Welcome Ncita in 1987. Among the finest fighters Miya met in the ring were Johannes Sithebe, Mveleli Luzipho, Odwa Mdleleni, Daniel Ward and Jaji Sbali.

Mpiyakhe,  Miya’s clan name, was born at eMazizini in Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal. Some of the boxers he trained include Khayeni Hlungwane, who remains the only boxer to defeat current WBC cruiserweight champ Ilunga Makabu.

Meanwhile, Floyd Mayweather Junior is said to have made more easy money by pocketing $50m after schooling Don Moore in their eight-round exhibition fight in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, yesterday morning.

Moore, who was Mayweather’s sparring partner back in the day, earned between $6m and $10m. Not shabby at all for former gym boxer who last fought in an official boxing match in 2016.