Khulani Boxing Club celebrated its 27-year milestone this past Saturday, September 30.
As part of these celebrations, they organised an amateur boxing tournament at Ngangelizwe location, where more than 20 boxers competed, showcasing their skills.
Simphiwe Konco is one of the boxers groomed by Khulani Boxing Club. He joined the club at the age of 13, while attending Senior Primary School in Ngangelizwe location.
The Khulani Boxing club was established by the legendary Mthetho Dumezweni, who was the first coach to win a gold medal in the national championships in KwaZulu-Natal in 2006, for the Eastern Cape Province.
Again, in 2007 he led the senior team to the championship and won overall.
Viwe Mdletyeni, the current secretary of OR Tambo Boxing Club, was also groomed by the club.
The champions, Athenkosi Dumezweni, Sikho “Sequence” Nqothole, and Bangile Nyangani, are also among the Khulani Boxing Club products, and today they are based in Gauteng.
Dumezweni said that he is proud of the work and club’s achievements since it was established.
“This club has played a big role in shaping the future of boxers,” he explained.
“In 2005 I took Sikho Nqothole and Bangile Nyangani to the senior team, and we became the provincial champions after a long time, beating East London boxers,” said Dumezweni.
He said that the current leaders need to pull up their socks to support sport, stating that sport is dying in the province because of neglect.
“Sport is the only tool to produce leaders for tomorrow, build sports grounds and swimming pools so that young children can have choices.”
