Mfuzo delivers Makhanda’s new SA champ, Grade 12 Esona Peter
“Quite challenging, but fun,” is how Makhanda’s new SA boxing champion describes her battle for the title in Gqeberha earlier this month.
The South African National Boxing Organisation (Sanabo) Youth and Elite National Championships for 2022 were held at Nelson Mandela University’s Missionvale campus in Bethelsdorp.
Esona ‘The General’ Peter, at 60kg a lightweight, could not stop smiling when Talk of the Town asked her about leaving the championships with a national title.
“My family? They are too proud!” says Peter, who trains every day after school.
The Nathaniel Nyaluza Secondary School Grade 12 pupil has been training five days a week since 2018.
“He actually invited me to come and train,” she says, pointing to senior professional boxer, Lubabalo Bokuva.
They are among a dedicated squad who train at Mfuzo Boxing Camp – a tiny gym on the side of a community venue between Nompondo Street and Archie Mbolekwa Primary School.
Coach Luyanda ‘Tyson’ Dibelo notes that it’s not the first time Mfuzo Boxing Camp has brought back a SA championship title.
“But it’s good to have a SA champ in the gym. We have been working very hard to achieve this,” Dibelo says.
Next up for Peter is the Region 5 Youth Games in Malawi in December.
Dibelo is the gym’s head coach, and coach for the Sarah Baartman District.
He is also proud of Azola ‘Destroyer’ Moses and Luyolo ‘Killer Queen’ Nketsheni who won silver medals at the SA championships.
They are in Grade 11 and Grade 12 at Nombulelo and Ntsika secondary schools respectively.
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