Trainer Vusi Mtolo is not producing boxing champions because his fighters are super talented individuals, but it is his appropriate mental and emotional connection with them that makes the soft-spoken mentor from Durban tick.
These qualities, including his ability of not letting fighters feel unappreciated and incomplete, should be recognised at some point.
In fact, Hall of Fame inductee and retired WBA and IBF junior-lightweight champion Brian Mitchell says Mtolo deserves to be voted Boxing SA 2022 Trainer of the Year.
Boxing SA intends to have its awards ceremony for the first time since 2018.
Mtolo, 48, has done so amazingly well since he went solo in August last year. He had spent 18 years under the shadow of Colin Nathan who had him as his assistant until they parted ways.
Mtolo’s colleagues Ncedo Cecane, Alan Toweel Junior and Nathan have all done great. Nathan produced a legitimate world champion – IBF junior-flyweight holder Sivenathi Nontshinga – this year. But still Mtolo stands head-and-shoulders above them all so far this year.
“Vusi has been incredible,” said Mitchell yesterday.
After leaving Nathan’s establishment, Mtolo teamed up with Mitchell, Jeff Ellis (tournament coordinator) and Marco Luis (businessman). They started a gym in Edenvale. Named RUB Boxing Gym, the premises were sponsored by businessman Rick Rex of Rex, Diff and Gearbox (RD). The gym later became known as Brian Mitchell Academy.
That is where Mtolo honed the skills of fighters like Roarke Knapp, Shervontaigh Koopman, Ricardo Malajika and Phikelelani Khumalo. He was later joined by Lusanda Komanisi, Smangele Hadebe and Lebo Mashitoa.
Knapp and Malajika won international titles while Koopman became the SA junior middleweight champion. Komanisi dethroned reigning national lightweight champion Tshifhiwa Munyai last month.
Just last week, Mtolo guided newcomer Asemahle Wellem to victory for the SA super-middleweight belt in only his fourth fight.
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