Great talent in a pinweight
Emihle Nelson, who boxes for Masiphakame Boxing Club, has been selected to join the Eden District Academy of Sport for training this weekend on Saturday 26 October.
The Masiphakame club is based in Damse-Bos, and is run by Lwanda Madikane, who despite being an avid boxer himself downs his gloves at times to train some of the Eden District's best boxers, one of whom is 14-year-old Emihle. She is Masiphakame's most promising talent at the moment, despite losing out on an opportunity to retain her national title in the pinweight division last month.
Even though she is no longer a national champion, Emihle remains the provincial champion, a title she defended at the Western Cape championships from 23 to 25 August where she represented Eden against the province's best boxers.
Madikane has nothing but high praise for his little prodigy. "I think Emihle is one of the most feared boxers in the Western Cape," Madikane said previously of Emihle. "She boxes in her own unique style and generally tires out her opponents or knocks them down in the first two rounds."
Emihle will continue flying both Knysna and Masiphakame flags high when she travels to Oudtshoorn to join the Eden District Academy of Sport this weekend. This achievement stands out even more when one considers that she is only one of two boxers that have been called up to take part in this training weekend, something that will prove vital in her and the club's development, according to Madikane. "We are very proud of her, and what she will learn at the academy she will bring back teach to our other boxers," he said.
Emihle's training at the academy will form part of her preparations for the upcoming Mossel Bay Harbour Festival, where she will be taking on George's Liyema Ndaba.