I failed in the fast food business: Baby Jake

Having beaten double pneumonia, Baby Jake Matlala is plotting a comeback to boxing.

Not to compete, but campaigning to get the sport back into schools.

Flattened by the illness in September, the former four-time world champion has only recently started regaining his strength.

His face is thinner than fans would remember. But the trademark smile remains. He laughs at a quip over his growing paunch during our interview at his Winchester Hills home in Johannesburg this week. "Yes, but I'm going to kill it when I can start training again. I love running and training on the bag."

A few months ago, he was unable even to breathe without oxygen. "I couldn't eat, my weight dropped to 45kg from 58kg. I thought I was going to die," Matlala said.

Although on the road to recovery, Matlala is shy about being photographed in his weak condition. "I'll be ready by the gala event on Thursday."

The box-and-dine function in his honour at Emperors Palace will mark his return to public life, as well as raise funds to help him pay medical bills, which total more than R100000.

He admits he had made some bad business decisions, but stressed: "I'm not broke.

"I just had a cash-flow problem. I had spoken to the hospital and they gave me grace to pay it off monthly after I start working again," said Matlala, a motivational speaker.

"But now with this gala event, I'll hopefully be able to pay them right away. I'm grateful to everyone involved."

Matlala spoke candidly about the failure of his fast-food franchise, Baby Jake's Diners. "I was trying to do something I wasn't good at. Having a BCom degree didn't help me. If I had to do it again, I would have stuck with what I know - boxing."

Fellow icon Brian Mitchell, who was present during the interview, admitted he had also been burnt investing in businesses he knew nothing about.

"This illness taught me a good thing - keep cash available," said Matlala. "I didn't have medical aid because I don't like monthly payments. As a boxer you don't get paid regularly. Whenever I bought something, it was with cash."

Matlala wants to launch a local TV series based on the Contender format. He also aims to meet sport minister Fakile Mbalula on reintroducing boxing as a school sport.

"The standard of boxing is not what it was in our time," he said, referring to himself and Mitchell. "Dube club (where Matlala boxed) has gone down. But there are some good fighters at the moment, like Hekkie Budler. He's got a big heart."

Budler will headline Thursday's tournament, defending his IBO junior-flyweight title against Gideon Buthelezi.

Among the items to be auctioned that evening is the IBA belt Matlala won from legendary American Michael Carbajal.

It's one of Matlala's most treasured possessions, but wife Mapule puts that into perspective. "When I was asked what I wanted for Christmas, I said: 'God gave me my husband back.' I can't compare it with material things."