Sons of Guns
Following in their fathers’ fistic footsteps
www.sundaytimes.co.za
● Scientists have yet to discover the boxing gene, but it seems too much of a coincidence that five of Johannesburg’s top trainers all come from fistic bloodlines.
Two of them, Alan Toweel junior and Colin Nathan, are third generation in the hurt game.
Damien Durandt had barely learned to walk when his father Nick started producing world champions, and the Smith brothers, Peter and Sean, were groomed by one of the toughest scrappers of the 1970s.
These sons of guns still use much of what their fathers taught them, though they have adapted some elements along the way.
Victor Galindez nearly upset
Of the four fathers, Kosie Smith is the only one still alive and the only one who fought at the highest levels, nearly upsetting WBA light-heavyweight champion Victor Galindez at the Rand Stadium in October 1976.
Peter, Sean and brother George grew up watching boxing on TV, absorbing their father’s observations and tips.
Get into the fight early — don’t wait; boxers must stay off their legs to rest before fights; and, keep your chin down.
“He taught us the fundamentals,” says Sean, who heads to Russia with Thabiso Mchunu for a crack against former world champion Denis Lebedev on December 21.
Peter was the only of the three brothers to turn professional and tasted just how hard his father could be. “He had it tough growing up and he never had someone encouraging him.”
With every loss came criticism. There was no encouragement, like when Peter was stopped in the first round of a 1997 bout.
No Jack Dempsey
When a journalist told Kosie that even Jack Dempsey lost by a first-round stoppage before becoming world champion, the father replied: “Ja, but Peter is no Jack Dempsey.”
Peter, who later understood that Kosie’s harshness was born out of love, constantly gives his fighters positive feedback.
“It’s my job to make them believe me when I tell them they can do something, without bullshitting them.”
Two of them — Kevin Lerena and Rowan Campbell — had no amateur experience when they joined the paid ranks, but Peter has taken them to heights nobody predicted.
When Boyd Allen joined his gym a couple of months ago, the fighter was worried about his punching power. Allen asked Campbell early on: “Do I punch hard enough?”
Campbell replied: “No, but if you listen to Peter, you will punch hard.”
Allen beat Tristan Truter on a last-round stoppage at Emperors Palace last week, sparked by a single right hand, to set up a rematch against Brandon Thysse.
‘Never be out-worked’
Thysse is trained by Durandt, whose stable also includes SA flyweight champion Jackson Chauke and world cruiserweight title contender Junior Makabu.
“My dad taught me motivation is one of the biggest key factors in preparing a fighter for a fight,” said Damien. “Never compromise on hard work, even if you’re talented. Never be outworked.”
Nick’s boxers were always in great condition and sometimes they beat fighters deemed more skilful.
Damien recalled that his father listened to only one opinion — his own — but he prefers to get input from the boxers.
Toweel has kept many of his father’s key lessons. “When you’re dealing with a fighter, his life is in your hands,” said Toweel. “And don’t push the boxer too hard, too quick.”
Toweel has put that into practice with his cruiserweight prospect Akani Phuzi, purposely not rushing him into fights against Lerena or Mchunu.
The Toweel lineage began with his grandfather, “Papa” Mike, who trained his uncle Vic to win the undisputed world bantamweight title.
Struggled to make the weight
Alan senior, who also coached both Kosie and Peter Smith, learned from his father’s mistake of keeping Vic at bantamweight, where he increasingly struggled to make the weight limit before losing the belt.
Alan senior handled brother Willie, who went from bantamweight to welterweight.
Like Nick Durandt, he liked to isolate his boxers before fights.
He barricaded Bushy Bester into a room at the Linden Hotel. Alan junior spotted Bester escaping out the window on his way to the hotel bar.
Alan junior has a different approach. “I believe a boxer needs to take responsibility for his own discipline.”
He also prefers to let his boxers spend time with their families before fights. “I think letting them have someone to talk to can be good for them,” said Toweel, who is hoping
I always pray for my fighter and my fighter’s opponent Colin Nathan
Boxing trainer
to produce his first SA champion next week when Nkhensahosi Makondo challenges for the vacant junior-middleweight belt.
Colin Nathan’s grandfather Clarence had a share in a boxing gym in his Johannesburg hotel back in the day, and his mother Helen was a judge for a while.
But his main motivation was his father Stanley, a cutman.
“He always told me the way to see if a fighter’s hurt is in his legs. When the muscle control is gone, he’s in trouble. I still look at the legs.”
Nathan will head to Japan with IBF flyweight champion Moruti Mthalane later this month looking for a win. But safety is his priority. “I always pray for my fighter and my fighter’s opponent in the dressing room.”