The day ‘Madiba Magic’ inspired Cassius Baloyi
Retired boxer says he will treasure that day until he dies
Winning his fifth world boxing title–the IBO junior lightweight belt–in three different weight divisions today 16 years ago was Cassius “Shy Guy” Baloyi greatest feat.
But doing it in front of Nelson Mandela – who was ringside guest at Emperors Palace as Baloyi knocked Argentinian Nazareno Gaston Ruiz – made February 3 2007 the most special day in his life as a boxer.
“I will treasure that day until I die,” said Baloyi yesterday.
“Seeing Mandela at the ring side made me feel important and I knew then that I had to do it in style.” He stopped Ruiz in the third round.
“I quickly got out of the ring and went straight to Mandela (who sat next to his grandsons Mandla and Ndaba) to greet him.
“He shook my hand and said well done,” said Baloyi .
An amateur boxer in his youth days, SA’s first democratic president Mandela was well known for inspiring SA sports teams and athletes, with the phrase “Madiba Magic” accompanying him whenever he appeared at the events.
Baloyi also revealed he missed out on an opportunity to meet the statesman at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
“I was supposed to be part of the SA team but something happened and I was excluded but I still went over there.
“I stayed far away from the athletes village. I was then told that Mandela was coming to meet all the athletes but mostly South Africans.
“I woke up very early and took the underground train which took two hours to get there. On my arrival I was told I had just missed him. I was so disappointed and heartbroken.”
Malamulele-born star said everybody wanted that special Mandela Magic which killed, literally, the excruciating pain in his leg after being shot during a botched hijacking incident in Braamfontein in 2001.
Baloyi was admitted at the Johannesburg Hospital. “Mandela walked through the door of my ward and the pain died just like that. We spoke at length and he encouraged me to be strong. Few days after Mandela’s visit I was discharged.”
The 48-year-old former WBU junior-featherweight; featherweight, IBO (twice) and IBF (twice) junior-lightweight champion, who is based in Lombardy, east of Johannesburg, says he is recovering from the aftermath of the car crash in 2016 in Ekurhuleni.
“I suffered a stroke while in hospital,” he said yesterday.
“My whole left side – leg and arm – suffered badly but exercising is helping me a lot to make a slow recovery. Running is also doing me great.”
He ran the Soweto Marathon last year. Baloyi retired from boxing in 2012.”