‘Fuzile is lost under Nathan’
Azinga Fuzile’s ex-handler Mzamo “Chief” Njekanye believes the rising boxing star would have defeated Shavkat Rakhimov in their IBF world lightweight title elimination bout last month if he was under his tutelage.
Njekanye says Fuzile lost because of his Johannesburgbased mentor, Colin “Nomakanjani” Nathan.
This comes amid rumours in the media about Fuzile indulging in alcohol and sex.
Njekanye, who plucked the boxer from obscurity when he was 12 years old and taught him boxing, says he knows Fuzile like the back of his hand.
He feels he would have found a way to win the fight by delving into the boxer’s inner fibre.
Njekanye is famous for his smooth talk with Fuzile in the corner when they were still together.
He would put his chest next to the boxer’s face and speak in a low voice, with even his assistant trainers unable to hear what he was saying.
“UAzinga ebengasoze abethwe nguRakhimov ukuba ebeselapha ezandleni zam [Azinga would have never lost to Rakhimov if he was still under my capable hands],” said Njekanye.
“People might have a different opinion about that, but I still maintain he would have been able to knockout Rakhimov. But Colin is destroying him.”
Nathan has refused to be embroiled in Njekanye’s utterances, saying he was concentrating on ensuring that the boxer gets a fair shake after lodging a protest to the IBF about Fuzile’s loss.
“Really I have no time to respond to such utterances,” he said.
While Njekanye maintains that he has reconciled with the boxer, he did concede that he still cannot watch Fuzile’s fights on television.
However, he watched his former fighter against Rakhimov as his boxer Siphosethu Mvula was also fighting on the same card.
He noticed a lot of changes in the style of his former charge under Nathan.
“I watched him carefully. I observed his performance and saw what they’ve changed in him.
“He fights differently now because of Colin.
“The more he listens to Colin the more he’s going to lose himself, because Colin work is dirty. He’s ruining a child I consider to be one of my own.”
Njekanye reiterated his accusations of Nathan poaching ready-made boxers.
“People groom young talented boxers here, and he just comes and takes them.
“Why is no one speaking against his doings? Thina sithatha iiboxer ebugxwayibeni sizenze abantu [We take boxers from nowhere and make them champions].”
Nyekane said he never knew Fuzile to be a binge drinker nor a smoker, but he said he wouldn’t know for sure whether the rumours flying around labelling Fuzile as a bad boy were true or not.
“Maybe he arrived in Johannesburg and started adopting a new lifestyle that is foreign to him.”
Njekanye argues that Fuzile’s chances of fulfilling his potential as a future world champion were slim unless he comes back home. – Boxing Mecca