adminLovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
BOXING is said to have been among the early sports in Bulawayo to provide entertainment to thousands of workers and city dwellers. Today as part of the city’s celebrations of a rich sporting legacy, we speak to veteran boxing coach Phillip Striker Ndlovu of Makokoba who is nearing his 60s.
He is an avid boxing follower who eats, sleeps, sneezes and lives boxing in his every day life.
It has however, evolved to be an organised sport. In days gone by, people could challenge each other at a township square on Friday afternoons and weekends in similar fashion to Harare’s “wafawafa”. The fights would have no referees, nor breaks. There would not even be the luxury of weight divisions, a flyweight at 50kg would even challenge a 90kg heavyweight.
Back then there were beliefs that certain people from some parts of the country used “juju” in these fights. It was not a surprise that a lightweight would knock out a heavyweight boxer.
For a long time Ganuelibomvu dominated the unofficial boxing fights.
Veteran boxing trainer Striker, himself a former amateur and professional boxer concurs: “For a very long time boxing has been part and parcel of entertainment in Bulawayo. As we were growing up, we were told of these street challenges that took place in the townships. With time the sport got more organised and there was amateur boxing from the 1940s.”
Striker as the champion making boxer is known, says professional boxing must have come into existence in the 1950s.
The boxing act was enacted between 1956 and 1957 to regulate the sport’s management. It fell under the Home Affairs Ministry until recently.
“Professional boxing came into being in the 1950s. We are not told who our pioneer African professional boxers were but we were made to believe the sport took shape in the late 1960s,” said Striker.
Among the pioneering boxers were Ringo Star, who rose to heavyweight champion in 1979, Jack Schoolboy who campaigned in the lightweight and light welterweight division with the likes of Jimmy Ellis.
Another early professional boxer who left an indelible mark on the sporting scene was former light heavyweight champion Kid Power. He was once based in Bulawayo before setting base in the capital in the twilight years of his career.
Striker watched the sport from the 1960s but took to fighting as an amateur in the early 1970s.
“I started in the amateurs where we were trained by the likes of Nardo and Alfred Paul Eyssien at Young Arts. I turned professional in 1976 by then Ringo, Schoolboy and Ellis were already established in the professional ranks,” said the Tshaka Youth Centre Club coach.
Boxing, he said, was concentrated at Tshaka, Iminyela, North End, Isinga and Sizinda with Stanley Square the popular venue for fights.
“When boxing got more organised, Stanley Square became the home of all boxing. Wrestling was also fought there with promoters such as Bulawayo’s leading ones Charles Moyo Muggs and Jacks Promotions moving the sport to the Large City Hall in 1978,” he said.
Other active city promoters included the Karsten family who owned Bulawayo Health Studio and Saddie McHolland.
The advent of Independence saw more boxers come on board in the amateur ranks at a time former Commonwealth title challenger Bright Spider, now better known for his tennis coaching as Zebediah Mawisire.
He said some of the best boxers Bulawayo can celebrate were produced in the early 1980s, a select group which has the likes of Joyful Mahlangu, Ndaba Dube, Ambrose Mlilo, Sipho Moyo, Eddie Ndlovu, Nokuthula Tshabangu and Trust Ndlovu.
“This was a wonderful crop of boxers, they were very good, they deserved to go far in the sport. Tshabangu won a bronze at the Commonwealth Games like Ezwell Ndlovu, Ndaba made his mark too at the All-Africa Games and quite a good number were national champions when they turned professional.
Mlilo, Moyo, Ndlovu and Tshabangu at some stage fought for the once respected Commonwealth titles.
Striker is an authority in the sport and is among a few of his generation still active.
He said of all the Bulawayo boxers, Moyo was probably the most outstanding; “he was by far the best of them all pound for pound. He was in a generation which had the likes of Ambrose Mlilo another great boxer. They gave fans value for money.”
Striker says because boxing has been part of the city’s sporting legacy in the last 120 years, stars continue to be churned out.
“There is never a time we are short of boxers. It’s one of the city’s best sports in terms of successes and popularity though in recent years because of waning audiences and sponsorships, it has not looked the big deal it has always been.
“We have young boxers like Brighton and Foster Masiyambumbi, Ntando Sibanda and Meluleki Ngulube on track. They could go far with the right guidance,” said Striker.
Striker spoke highly of promoters like Dave Wellings, the late Jeff Dube of Rampage Ring and Reynolds Inn Blow by Blow Promotions.
“Rampage Ring changed the face of boxing in the city and their successors Blow by Blow tried too with almost a dozen more promotions to keep the flame glowing here,” said the Tshaka coach.
Striker has in his career coached title holders like Mlilo, Tshabangu, Moyo, heavyweight champion Thamsanqa Dube and former light middleweight and middleweight crown holder Mordicai Donga and one of the hardest punchers Freddie Chisoro who once held the light middleweight belt.
The veteran boxing coach believes the sport has the potential to get back to its feet if sponsors and serious sponsors come on board.
“The boxer’s place is in the ring. We are not happy seeing a champion keep his title for years at home without fights, they have to prove themselves in the ring.”
“If only sponsors can hear our pleas and keep the fire burning by supporting us with equipment and contacts outside the country, since there is little activity at home,” said Striker.
Online Reporter