SA boxing prodigy Sogcwayi chases stardom in ring return

Having waited for almost a year before finally making his professional debut, rising South African boxing star Sanele Sogcwayi is determined to make up for lost time by fighting four times this year.

Two months after stopping Adivaho Nemutazhela, the 22-year-old from Mdantsane in East London will be back in the ring on May 31 when he takes on Siphesihle Nkomo in a featherweight clash at Emperors Palace.

The swift return marks a change of fortunes for the former amateur star since he ditched the vest for pay in June 2024 and signed with the country’s promotional heavyweight, Golden Gloves.

Plans to give him a first taste of the professional set-up were delayed when Sogcwayi was forced to withdraw from an October tournament because his documentation was not in order.

He was then moved to a December show promoted by Golden Gloves partner Last Born Promotions, but again hit a snag when the tournament was postponed owing to the large-scale withdrawal of key boxers.

Golden Gloves boss Rodney Berman finally managed to find a slot for Sogcwayi in his March show, with the Mandela African Boxing Cup silver medallist delivering an impressive performance to halt Nemutazhela in two rounds.

Sogcwayi’s manager, Thembelani “Shakes” Hlombe, said his charge was looking forward to putting on another good display against Nkomo.

“We want to fight as often as possible and if we keep winning, Rodney has promised us two more fights after this one,” he said.

“It was important for us to get the feel of the professional set-up to get rid of the jitters, and now that we have done it, I expect Sogcwayi to relax and display the talent which made him a household name in the amateurs.”

Sogcwayi was a key member of the South African boxing team that represented the country in several International Boxing Association (IBA) championships, returning home triumphant.

Though he was one of the South African boxers who won big prizes at the championships, the lure of the professional set-up proved too strong to resist, especially when his dream of going to the Paris Olympics went up in smoke.

After Sogcwayi’s heroics at the Mandela African Boxing Cup in Durban in April 2024, he became the first Eastern Cape boxer to sign with Berman directly from the amateur ranks.

Berman, whose partnership with the late Mdantsane legend Mzi Mnguni produced a slew of world champions including Welcome Ncita, Vuyani Bungu, Mbulelo Botile and Masibulele “Hawk” Makepula, said he had identified rare talent in Sogcwayi and believed he could emulate the past champions.

He even gave the youngster the “V16” moniker.

“It was like seeing a young Dingaan Thobela in action,” Berman said.

Hlombe said such lofty expectations were not misplaced and that his charge would show why Berman had such high regard for him.