Manny Fernandes is the best boxing tutor in SA, says former two-weight world boxing champion Isaac “The Angel” Hlatshwayo.
“There is no one like him,” said Hlatshwayo, who achieved greatness as a fighter under the tutelage of Fernandes.
Having defeated the crème de la crème of boxers from Limpopo, including Phillip “Time Bomb” Ndou, Joseph “Smokin’ Joe” Makaringe and Cassius “Shy Guy” Baloyi under Fernandes, Hlatshwayo was reacting to the trainer’s success in guiding Siyakholwa Kuse to victory for the prestigious green and gold WBC belt last weekend.
“Manny is not only a good trainer but also a very good game reader who does not take long to figure out the plan to win a fight against a boxer of any style,” said Hlatshwayo, who made his pro debut in 2000 and won the SA and IBO lightweight and IBO welterweight belts under Fernandes.
“His strength is that he plans a fight together with his fighter, and he gives you homework to study. You then go to the gym, and he implements both plans – yours and his; you will never get that from any other trainer here.
“Manny takes pride in his work. He is able to transform an ordinary boxer into a star.”
Fernandes has done exactly what Hlatshwayo pointed out with brothers, Ricardo “Magic Man” and Charlton “Baby Pain” Malajika.
Ricardo has defended his IBO junior-bantamweight belt four times and also won that organisation’s flyweight strap, which he later vacated.
Charlton, who he previously captured the WBA Pan-African belt, holds the IBO Youth bantamweight title.
Fernandes, who is assisted by his son, retired professional boxer Richard ”El Toro” Fernandes, gave the Eastern Cape its first WBC world champion when Kuse dethroned Filipino Melvin “El Gringo” Jerusalem at Emperors Palace on Saturday evening.
Kuse, from Mdantsane, did exactly what Welcome “Hawk” Ncita did in March 1990, becoming the province’s first IBF world champion after defeating reigning French champion Fabrice Benichou by a unanimous decision in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Ncita, like Kuse, is promoted by Golden Gloves – which remains Africa’s premier boxing promotion even after 49 years since it was established by Rodney Berman.
Fernandes is a former amateur boxer who spent his early boxing career in Brixton and Mayfair and learned the foundations of the sport of boxing from his brother, Ron Fernandes, along with trainer Jeff Ellis.
Sowetan
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