Boxing legend’s ‘bag of tricks’ recalled

THE local boxing scene is reeling from shock over the death of revered boxing champion Saxon Ngqayimbana and his quick burial last weekend.

Ngqayimbana, 58, died of heart failure while alone in his NU5 home in Mdantsane earlier last week.

His decomposing body was found by neighbours on Wednesday, who quickly informed his relatives, including his daughter, Thabisa Goda, in Cape Town.

The family had to take the decision to have the burial as soon as possible, due to the state of his body.

His funeral service was held at his home on Sunday and he was buried at the Cambridge Cemetery yesterday.

Due to the short notice, some people in the boxing fraternity were unfortunately unable to attend the funeral.

“We could not wait because his body was already in a bad condition,” Goda said.

Boxing SA-Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs said he sadly was unable to attend the funeral as he already had other commitments.

Ngqayimbana’s former rival Jackie Gunguluza, who managed to attend the funeral, tasted his first professional loss at the hands of the hardhitting Ngqayimbana, when they fought for the then expanded Cape junior-featherweight title in Port Elizabeth.

“Ngqayimbana was a clever boxer and I am surprised that he never fought for the national title,” Gunguluza recalled.

“He used all sorts of tricks to stop me in five rounds of our bout and that was my first professional loss.” Ngqayimbana, who competed during an era when talent in the juniorfeatherweight division was deep, with the likes of revered boxers such as Zweli Ngcongolo, was considered one of the best boxers in the region.

He beat Ngcongolo before the latter avenged the loss with a stoppage win.

However, it was Ngqayimbana’s bout in 1988 against the then young and unknown Vuyani Bungu that will be remembered.

Despite facing a feared legend of 32 bouts, with just three losses to his name, Bungu dramatically introduced himself by beating Ngqayimbana to wrest the Cape junior-featherweight title and begin his ascent to the boxing summit.

Bungu would later go on to set an SA record for the most world title defences, after retaining his IBF crown 13 times.

Recalling the fight, Bungu said he never imagined himself facing a boxer of Ngqayimbana’s calibre, let alone beating him.

“We used to watch Bra Saxon as kids at Sisa Dukashe Stadium and he was a feared fighter,” Bungu said.

“He was a big and tall junior-featherweight with a big punch. He had a bag full of tricks. After beating him, I knew that there was no one who could stand in my way to stardom.”

Due to Ngqayimbana’s quick burial, friends and fellow boxing colleagues have decided to hold a memorial service for him at the Mdantsane Indoor Centre tomorrow.

This memorial service will be held jointly with that of late boxer Simpiwe Mayeza, of Ilitha, who died two weeks ago.