Previously the home of boxing, Khayelitsha in the Western Cape finds itself at the bottom of the barrel with only one active club, and that will result in youth getting involved in drugs, according to trainer Welsh Macibela.
Macibela is doing his best to revive the fistic sport by training youth at 9th South African Infantry (9SAI) Boxing Club in a military base in Khayelitsha.
He said his main concern was that drugs would take over if the youth had nothing to do. “Drugs are easily accessible here,” he lamented.
Cape Town is home for SA featherweight holder Bashew “Blue Angel” Sibaca, Nika “The Sting” Kumalo, who held the SA lightweight and junior welterweight belts, WBU welterweight champ Gary “The Heat” Murray and the Whiteboy brothers, Chris who was the national junior lightweight champ and Derrick who held the South African bantamweight belt.
Those were dogs-of-war who represented their province with pride and dignity before the province produced a legitimate world champion when Mzonke “The Rose of Khayelitsha” Fana won the IBF junior lightweight belt during the era of Y2K.
Right now there is only one national champion there and that is Lunga Stemela, who holds the junior lightweight belt. Fana retired in 2018.
Macibela said Khayelitsha was crying for help. He is being helped by the SA National Defence Force, which started what he called 9SAI Boxing Club in Khayelitsha.
Macibela, who is an infantry soldier, is assisted in the training of fighters by Ayanda Madudube and Siyabonga Mafika. They had 12 boxers, he said.
“This is the active club in Khayelitsha and that is not enough because if children idle they will find solace in drugs,” he said, adding that his three charges – Lwando Mgabi, Zimbonge Nocele and Mavela Luhlobo – will be in action in Jackie Brice’s development tournament at Goodwood Correctional Services on October 13.
“I urge people to go there and give moral support to these children so that they are motivated in this attempt to revive boxing here.”
Trainer wants to revive fistic sport in Khayelitsha
Macibela says idle youth could turn to drugs
Image: Supplied
Previously the home of boxing, Khayelitsha in the Western Cape finds itself at the bottom of the barrel with only one active club, and that will result in youth getting involved in drugs, according to trainer Welsh Macibela.
Macibela is doing his best to revive the fistic sport by training youth at 9th South African Infantry (9SAI) Boxing Club in a military base in Khayelitsha.
He said his main concern was that drugs would take over if the youth had nothing to do. “Drugs are easily accessible here,” he lamented.
Cape Town is home for SA featherweight holder Bashew “Blue Angel” Sibaca, Nika “The Sting” Kumalo, who held the SA lightweight and junior welterweight belts, WBU welterweight champ Gary “The Heat” Murray and the Whiteboy brothers, Chris who was the national junior lightweight champ and Derrick who held the South African bantamweight belt.
Those were dogs-of-war who represented their province with pride and dignity before the province produced a legitimate world champion when Mzonke “The Rose of Khayelitsha” Fana won the IBF junior lightweight belt during the era of Y2K.
Right now there is only one national champion there and that is Lunga Stemela, who holds the junior lightweight belt. Fana retired in 2018.
Macibela said Khayelitsha was crying for help. He is being helped by the SA National Defence Force, which started what he called 9SAI Boxing Club in Khayelitsha.
Macibela, who is an infantry soldier, is assisted in the training of fighters by Ayanda Madudube and Siyabonga Mafika. They had 12 boxers, he said.
“This is the active club in Khayelitsha and that is not enough because if children idle they will find solace in drugs,” he said, adding that his three charges – Lwando Mgabi, Zimbonge Nocele and Mavela Luhlobo – will be in action in Jackie Brice’s development tournament at Goodwood Correctional Services on October 13.
“I urge people to go there and give moral support to these children so that they are motivated in this attempt to revive boxing here.”
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