Punching their way to the future

BOXING NEWS - The spirit of great South African boxers such as Baby Jake Matlala and Dingaan "The Rose of Soweto" Thobela is alive and well in Knysna, and is being carried forward by a group of amateur boxers from Dam-se-Bos.

The eight boys, ranging from 11 to 16 years old, form part of the Sinethemba Boxing Club based in Dam-se-Bos, and this last Saturday 8 December they took part in a boxing tournament held at Robberg, Plettenberg Bay, wherein the regional boxing champion also took part.

One of these fighters, 13-year-old Vuyela Somana, came out tops in his bout, and according to Sinethemba assistant coach Lwanda Madikane, this little pugilist convincingly outboxed his opponent from Mossel Bay.

Madikane said teams from Plettenberg Bay, Mossel Bay and George took part, with his team being the only fighters to represent Knysna.

“Out of the eight boys, this was the first fight for five of them and although they all lost, including two others, they showed me there definitely is a future for boxing in Knysna,” Madikane added.

Vuyela Somana is a champion in the making after he beat his opponent in Mossel Bay recently.