Tributes flow for boxing marvel
Fight legends were among the dignitaries at final farewell
More than 300 gathered at the East London City Hall to pay their last respects to former SA flyweight and WBU junior-bantamweight boxing champion Gabula "Slashing Tiger" Vabaza on Friday.
Among the dignitaries on hand to bid farewell to Vabaza were former world boxing champions Masibulele “Hawk” Makepula, Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu, and Welcome Ncita. Buffalo City Metro’s head of sport and special programmes councillor Xolani Witbooi was representing the city.
Ncita, who was the country’s first IBF world champion and Vabaza’s trainer, gave a touching eulogy for the departed boxing marvel. He said Vabaza was the calmest person one could ever work with.
“He was calm and collected this boy and he listened to any advice you gave him. We had a good working relationship and that’s why I was able to communicate the things that I had learnt over the years as a champion.
“Because I did not want Gabula to make the same mistakes I and other champions made in the past.
“For example every time Gabula had a big fight ahead of him, I always went to his family and we would sit around the table and discuss everything.
“So they would know how much he would be getting, all the details because that’s the right thing and I wanted his family to see what we were doing, and so that he can make informed choices,” said Ncita.
He said Vabaza was a people’s person who believed in doing the right thing on and off the ring.
“This young man lived his life, he was innovative person, fashionable and very respectful to the elders.
“He was ahead of his time, for example Vabaza wore these pants that are folded six years ago and I can see now that’s the latest trend in fashion. He did that way back, and I was impressed with people doing the same thing.
“But most importantly I want to thank the entire Vabaza family for allowing me to be part of their son’s life.
“And to me he’s not gone he’s still with us in spirit,” said Ncita.
Sijuta Promotions boss Andile Sidinile, who used to promote Vabaza while training under Ncita, said the boxing fraternity including himself abandoned Vabaza in trying times.
“When he was diagnosed to be sick in 2006 his boxing career ended and we all just left him like that. Which was wrong for us to do, because we were supposed to have done something to help him.
“Being there for him when because that’s when he needed us most, where were we?
“And the fact that we always fight about the money in boxing is sad, because you’ll see people fighting over a hundred thousand.
“Mind you this industry is worth R2-billion, we should just work together instead of fighting,” said Sidinile.
Vabaza, who turned professional in 1996 to retire in 2006 due to medical reasons, suffered a heart attack while watching television at his Duncan Village home on December 11.
He was undefeated with 23 wins and a draw.
He was calm and collected this boy and he listened to any advice you gave him. We had a good working relationship