'Golden Boy' carries hopes of new generation

Azinga “Golden Boy” Fuzile carries the hopes of many fight fans who are looking for boxers who have the potential to take over the baton from the Y2K generation.

The time for the great fighters South Africa had from that era, Moruti Mthalane, Gideon Buthelezi and Zolani Tete, has ended, literally.

Sivenathi Nontshinga remains the only legitimate world champion and the junior flyweight champion has given hopes for a brighter future but at 23 a lot can still go wrong because he has yet to mature as a person and a fighter.

Ntlantla Tyirha is also one to watch.

Ludumo Lamati, by rights, should be the flag bearer, but his promising career is a merry-go-round, and fighting average opponents with no real credentials will not advance his career.

Then the focus turns to Fuzile who has had a good ride, messed up and paid a heavy price. He is on a journey to revive his career. Fuzile has a great skills set, devastating power and he possesses the rare cunning of a fox, which has befuddled his 16 victims. He is not easy to figure out.

He just needs to win against Rene Tellez Giron, the crafty Mexican, in Durban on Saturday and improve his ranking in the world.

Fuzile’s trainer, Mzamo “Chief” Njekanye, says they know that Mexicans are tough and also a very proud boxing nation, and that says a lot about what to expect from Rene Tellez Giron in the J4 Joy International Promoter’s tournament in Durban.

“This is a real test for Azinga,” he said yesterday. “Mexicans are not like Africans and some of these Filipinos that go down after being hit once. I remember Rafael Marquez (former two-weight world champ from Mexico) saying they have the heart of a lion and that they come to fight every time they step inside the ring.

“That is what I expect will happen to us. That is why I drummed the warning in Azinga’s ears a million times during our preparations: that he must brace himself for war. But you know what, my boy is ready.”