Hulley brothers change ordinary fighters into warriors

Trainers never brag about how good they are

Respected boxing tutor Warren Hulley with Joshua Studdard.
Respected boxing tutor Warren Hulley with Joshua Studdard.
Image: Nick Lourens

Warren Hulley never brags about how good he is as a boxing tutor and what changes he brings to the careers of many boxers probably because it is not in his nature to dwell on his own success.

He prefers to shower other people with praise, and that is the main reason the Hulley name does not ring a bell to a larger section of the boxing fraternity. But if you are a religious follower of the sport, then you will recall the man who turned ordinary fighters from KwaZulu-Natal – Johnson Tshuma, Mlungisi Dlamini and Melusi Khoza – into household names.

Tshuma ended the illustrious career of Giovanni Pretorius in 1999. Dlamini won and successfully defended the WBF lightweight title five times before producing an upset of 2009 when he knocked out cold Zolani Marali in round four to win the IBO belt.

Hulley also produced a WBA Pan African supermiddleweight champion, his younger brother Brandon, who is now his assistant. The duo will be helping Zimbabwean Lancelot Moyo in his attempt to win the ABU SADC lightweight title at the Portuguese Hall, south of Johannesburg, on Friday.

His 10-rounder against Kaine Fourie will headline a bill of Unleashed Combat of promoter Shereen Hunter. As always, Hulley had nothing to say, instead it was Fouries accomplished trainer Gert Strydom who did all the talking during a recorded message: We have to be 100% ready as we are up against Warren and Brendon Hulley who I think are very good trainers.

Theyve been in the game for a very long time, they know what they are doing when it comes to boxing, so whenever you are stepping into the square [ring] and you are up against one of their boys, you need to bring your A-game, and that is what we are planning.

Fourie paid tribute to Hunter for putting him in her show.

I promise I will not disappoint, he said. I will put on a spectacular performance for all my fans who are coming to watch me. I cant wait to go into the ring and showcase my talent; everyone who wants to come watch, my fans and the people who do not like me, if they want to come watch it's fine, I will put on a show for them as well.

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