South African boxing fraternity, Welile Mguli in particular, has paid tribute to Elliot “Slashing Tiger” Zondi, who is understood to have suddenly taken ill and eventually passed away at Dongwe Hospital-Whittlesea last Tuesday. 

The departed boxer’s father, Gladstone Zondi, was the Cape provincial junior lightweight champ. Elilot was a gold medalist at the national amateur championships in Vereeniging in then Transvaal in 1974 and he turned  professional in 1976.

“It was also only in October 1976 that boxing was desegregated and with that new legislative changes that also introduced with it the establishment of the junior flyweight division, which became the minimum professional boxing weight at the time.”

Mguli, a die-hard boxing fanatic who is said to have helped Welcome Ncita with sparring, said Zondi boxed for Mzomhle High School in Mdantsane and he quickly became one of the brightest stars of the Border region.

“It was then that Zondi opted to campaign at a smaller division from the flyweight, where he had gone as far as being crowned the division’s very first SA champion in 1977 after outpointing then bitter rival Lawrence “Tyumprie” Krune of Ginsberg township in Qonce (formerly King William's Town) in a closely contested affair,” he said.

“It was in 1971 that the Golden Gloves International boxing club was established in Mdantsane as an offshoot of the then legendary Duncan Village boxing club based in East London. This was due to the advent of forced removals of thousands of families from mostly the old (now defunct) townships of West Bank, kwaTsolo and Duncan Village to Mdantsane 25 kilometers away.

“Zondi’s father Gladstone soon teamed up with highly illustrated boxing sons in Monde Mbangxa and former Robben Island political inmate Abraham Marawu, together they established and trained both professional and amateur boxers. It was then that Golden Gloves International boxing club was born.”

Mguli added: “He also was highly regarded in the Eastern Cape, having trained and sparred with the likes of legendary icon Mzukisi Skweyiya, Andile Tywabi, Boy Mnyaka, Boy-Boy Mpulampula and many others.

“Zondi fought at junior flyweight and later flyweight and even bantamweight in epic bouts against many distinguished opponents including Boy-Boy Mazaleni, Sheshe Dunjwa and many others. Zondi shall always be remembered for his humble an unassuming demeanor.”

He leaves behind his four children, 23 nephews and nieces and 12 grandchildren. Zondi’s funeral service will take place at Cambridge Hall in East London on Friday at 9am.