BOXING MECCA
He’s breaking the mould as great destroyer in ring
SITHEMBISO Faye may be the most well-known boxer from Chicken Farm situated on the outskirts of Mdantsane but there is a teen who is responsible for his popularity.
In fact the teen is now taking over the spotlight of the Biko Village Boxing Academy (BVBA) and is determined to become the first world champion from the sprawling shacklittered township.
So far Sivenathi Nontshinga has torn through the opposition with the ruthlessness of a prime Mike Tyson even though he campaigns in the second smallest division in boxing.
Despite being only 19 years old, the juniorflyweight boxer has destroyed all his three opponents within the distance prompting his trainer and father proclaiming him as the next world champion to emerge from the region.
It’s no wonder that he is already setting tongues wagging in local boxers circles as the next Simpiwe Vetyeka having even assumed Vetyeka’s “V12” moniker.
“I have no illusions about this boy,” says his trainer Thembani Gopheni.
“He is so dedicated to his craft that even if I am not in the gym I know that he will take over the training duties of other boxers.”
Indeed Nontshinga’s training methods set the foundation for Faye when Faye joined the club at the age of 15 years.
Nontshinga was just seven years old at the time but like Floyd Mayweather junior, he had already absorbed all the boxing techniques from his dad.
Mayweather senior planted the seeds of boxing skills to his son Floyd junior at a young age.
Gopheni says Faye was literally taught boxing by Nontshinga.
“People make a mistake of crediting me for Faye’s career when it actually was shaped by Nontshinga,” he reveals.
So far BVBA which was formed in 2009 has grown in leaps and bounds and it is the only boxing club in the area.
It currently boasts six professional boxers with Nontshinga the shining beacon.
Nontshinga is fresh from a third round knockout of Lusizo Menziwa this past April.
There are other talented youngsters such as Sabelo Nkosi who displayed a mature boxing style when he forced Sesethu “Ntloko” Menziwa to quit this past April in his first professional fight.
Since Faye is a better known boxer owing to his run which included title bouts misfortunes he is still regarded as the role model by the youngsters.
Faye nearly quit boxing when bureaucratic red tape dealt him a low blow.
This when he was vying for the SA junior-bantamweight title only to be informed at the last moment that his fights had been downgraded.
It started when he contested for the vacant crown against Thembelani Maphuma whom he beat but could not walk away with the belt when the fight was turned into a non-title bout.
He was given another opportunity but this time the opponent was Lindile Tshemese.
The fight ended in a draw rendering the title to remain vacant even though SA rules prohibit a vacant title to be scored a draw.
By the time the third opportunity came, Faye’s mind was no longer in boxing and it was no surprise when Tshemese easily beat him to become the champion.
The loss was the first for him in the paid ranks and in his next fight he was shocked by Mbulelo Dyani when he moved up a division to the bantamweight.
Now that he has failed to bring the national title to the area through no fault of his, the responsibility has been transferred to the young shoulders of Nontshinga.
“Nontshinga may be 19 years old but he is precocious,” Gopheni maintains.
“You should see this boy when he conducts training sessions. Boxing is in his blood.”
It may not come as a surprise that Nontshinga is showing signs of maturity at a young age as he is the product of Mzamo Njekanye who is well-known for his uncanny ability to work with the young boxers.
Njekanye has already produced Duncan Village star in unbeaten Azinga Fuzile, who is set to conquer the world.
As Fuzile has shown, Njekanye does not only teach boxers fighting skills but how to be responsible at a young age.
That trait is now benefiting Nontshinga who is destined for big things in the fight game.
People make a mistake of crediting me for Faye’s career when it actually was shaped by Nontshinga