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Vusi Mtolo refuses to succumb to pressure no matter how hard he’s been hurt.
He doesn’t even limp, neither does he grumble but instead he dusts himself up and finds a way to continue honing the skills of fighters.
That is where the 53-year-old boxing trainer from the mean streets of Clermont in Durban finds fulfillment because he could go far as a boxer
He endured pain from an early age but showed toughness when he defied death just after being stabbed a few milimetres from his heart in Durban on June 12 2000.
That is how his amateur boxing career ended. Two years later, he started working as an assistant trainer to Colin Nathan and together they produced many world champions.
One of them, Hekkie Budler, took possession of The Ring magazine belt in 2018 after defeating WBA Super and IBF junior flyweight holder, Ryoichi Taguchi, in Japan.
Mtolo and Nathan parted ways in 2021.
Mtolo was given refuge at the gym of Brian Mitchell in Edenvale, where he trained many boxers like Roarke “Razor” Knapp, Siyakholwa “One Way” Kuse, Ricardo “Magic Man” Malajika, and the Koopman brothers − Shervontaigh and Keanu.
Malajika and Kuse are now trained by Manny Fernandes at Mitchell’s gym.
The two boxers’ careers are managed by Mitchell, whose boxers are promoted by Golden Gloves which was responsible for his illustrious career as a fighter back in the day.
Shervontaigh and Keanu are under the guidance of their father, Charlton, while Knapp has joined Damien Durandt.
Mtolo is left with Beavan “The One” Sibanda, Jarred “Mr Hollywood” Silverman, Ellen “Tigress” Simwaka, Adidya “Lioness” Mimu, Monica “Savage” Mkandla and Simphiwe Mbele.
Mtolo pays rent for training his fighters at Mitchell’s gym.
He hopes one day he will have his own gym, and is certain he will produced champions.
“In fact, I produced an IBO junior lightweight champion in Simwaka but her crown got taken away from her and given to Bernice Ferreira,” he said in reference to the bout which took place at Wild Coast Casino in Bizana last month.
Mtolo said Mkandla will be involved in what he termed a career advancing match-up with Simamkele “Sim the Champ” Tutsheni on July 11.
Mkandla is undefeated after nine fights while Tutsheni tasted defeat in her ninth fight, which was for the IBO world junior featherweight title in Poland in March.
Fourteen days after Mkandla’s six-rounder against Tutsheni, Mtolo will bark instructions to Silverman when he takes on Stephanus Pypers in their eagerly awaited non-title fight in Sandton.
“I have endured pain most of my life but it has made me stronger and I will continue producing champions” said Mtolo in his parting shot.
Sowetan
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