Boxers can be personal trainers, but there are consequences, experts caution

‘Day job’ phenomenon has helped many boxers keep the wolf from the door while waiting to get an opportunity to fight

04 February 2025 - 16:20
By Bongani Magasela
ABU Sadc president Peter Ngatane crowns Phikelelani Khumalo as middleweight champ.
Image: Monwabisi Jimlongo ABU Sadc president Peter Ngatane crowns Phikelelani Khumalo as middleweight champ.

Should professional boxers continue to augment their paltry payment which comes once, twice if lucky, a year by doubling up as private fitness trainers?

Sowetan spoke to ABU Sadc champ Phikelelani Khumalo, trainer-manager Colin Nathan, international promoter Ayanda Matiti and ABU marketing and communications director Tshele Kometsi to get their opinions on this new phenomenon.

This “day job” approach has helped many boxers keep the wolf from the door while waiting to get an opportunity to fight.

The interview with these professionals follows a sincere feeling by IBO flyweight champion Jackson “M3" Chauke, who said the life of a professional boxer, especially one who depends on earning a buck only by getting in the ring, is nonexistent in South Africa.

He said if it was not for the new trend where boxers are employed by their trainers and managers who own gyms as personal fitness trainers, the situation would be worse.

It is unclear if boxers understand the risk that comes with holding pads, especially for someone who just lets go of his power, because they do not know or understand what it means to hold back on power.

That can cause severe strain on their shoulders. Kenneth “Mr Jones” Mabunda once told this writer his shoulders were numb due to power from former South African heavyweight champion Anton Nel when he was still an assistant to trainer Nick Durandt.

Mabunda — a former pro fighter who was trained by Durandt — is a big boy. Boxers are commonly prone to shoulder dislocations.

With missed punches, the speed and force under which the rotator cuff is placed cause the shoulder joint to partially or completely slip out of its socket.

It is said dislocation of a shoulder happens when the upper arm bone pops out of the cup-shaped socket that's part of the shoulder blade and it requires an operation, which could signal the end of a career.

Boxers must undergo professional training. It is a sad situation because they can't rely on boxing. Tournaments are scarce in all provinces. Think of boxers from North West and Limpopo where there is absolutely no action, how do they survive? 
Tshele Kometsi

Risky as it can become, it has done wonders for some boxers such as Evans Mbamba, who started a cleaning company while still training clients at Durandt's gym.

A client happened to be a successful businessman who owned a 24-storey building and he gave Mbamba the contract to clean it. Today Mbamba is a millionaire who owns a farm in Nigel with cows and goats and properties in Sandton and Phuket in Thailand.

Khumalo said: “It is not good for boxers' shoulders but they don't have a choice because it helps them make extra cash. If it makes sense to them, helps them buy food, diet and pay their bills, they can do it. We are not in a position to complain about purse money but we would like to be paid more.”

Khumalo does not train clients. “I have another source of income,” he said. “I am fortunate but also I am a hard-working person.”

Nathan said: “I think commercial training is a great way for fighters to market themselves. It also brings to boxing a new audience and some of the people they train become part of boxing by way of providing sponsorship deals.”

He said none of his fighters train clients.

“There are one or two guys in my gym who train clients but they are not boxers,” said Nathan.

Matiti described it as a Catch-22 situation.

“There is no right or wrong,” he said. “If managed well then great, but if not, consequences can be dire.

“I think if a boxer trains someone who just wants to keep fit, it is OK, but if you train someone who wants to fight in these celebrity fights then it's a serious problem because that individual wants 100% commitment to be taught in every aspect of boxing.”

Matiti made an example of Athenkosi Dumezweni who trained Cassper Nyovest for a celebrity fight against Priddy Ugly at Sun City in 2022.

Dumezweni put his South African junior-bantamweight belt on the line against Landile Ngxeke in that tournament.

“We watched videos of Dumezweni holding pads for Cassper and that guy hit those pads hard. We knew Dumezweni's shoulders would tire,” he said.

“So, the strategy was to keep him busy and we demolished him in round 10.”

After being dethroned, a badly bruised Dumezweni was in the corner of Nyovest who defeated Ugly in round 1. Dumezweni has not fought again.

Kometsi said boxers must be certified to become personal trainers because they run risks of being sued in the event the client suffers permanent injury. “A client has the right to ask for that certificate,” he said.

“Boxers must undergo professional training. It is a sad situation because they can't rely on boxing. Tournaments are scarce in all provinces. Think of boxers from North West and Limpopo where there is absolutely no action, how do they survive?

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