Top fighters hit road in exodus

The exodus of top East London boxers to Johannesburg has flared up again, with a number of local stars having defected to the city of gold recently.

The latest to leave these shores is former WBF intercontinental bantamweight champion Mfusi Maxhayi, former IBO junior-featherweight champion Thabo Sonjica and newly crowned ABU mini-flyweight champion Ayanda Ndulani. The trio have joined Ricky Wainstein.

The departure follows hot on the heels of Duncan Village star Azinga Fuzile, who left his longtime mentor Mzamo Njekanye to join Colin Nathan, also in Johannesburg.

Fuzile left with Ndulani’s former stablemate Khanyile Ndulani, who holds the SA featherweight title, to join Nathan.

While local boxing trainers are grappling with the resurgence of the defections, the worst hit is Kholisile Cengani.

Bulana and Ndulani were developed and nurtured by him to become the stars they are now at his Masenze (let’s work) boxing club in Amalinda Forest.

Cengani’s plight for losing Bulana was overshadowed by Fuzile’s departure.

Just when he was beginning to smart from it came the news of the departure of Ndulani, who he guided to an ABU title triumph and revenge of his lone loss to Xolisa Magusha only in July.

This comes when his top star, Aphiwe Mboyiya, is serving a ban for doping, while his other charge, Noxolo Makhanavu, who holds the SA female flyweight belt, has revealed she will quit boxing because of a lack of opportunities for female boxers.

Cengani, who took sick leave for depression after Bulana’s departure, stopped short of saying he would quit boxing after the latest incident.

“I spend my time developing these boys, and when they are ready they do this,” he said.

Cengani’s boxing club has served as a rehabilitation centre for troubled township kids.

Mboyiya had gone off the rails when he brought him back on the straight and narrow and made him a champion.

He also took Bulana from a young age and guided him to winning the SA featherweight title, a feat he never enjoyed as the boxer immediately left him after the win.

Ndulani has now also left after winning the ABU title.

Eastern Cape Boxing Promoters Association (ECBPA) have proposed an intervention in the departure of boxers developed by trainers. Some of the proposals at their indaba a fortnight ago included a development fee to be paid to trainers who develop the boxers. The plan is yet to be implemented.

I spend my time developing these boys, and when they are ready they do this