" THE ROSE OF SOWETO"

THE BOXER THAT MADE SOUTH AFRICA PROUD.

 PHOTO CREDIT: Tertius Pickard

 

  BY: REFENTSE MAKGAMATHA

Dingaan Bongani “The Rose of Soweto” Thobela was born at Baragwanath hospital on 24 September 1966. Dingaan Thobela has proved himself as one of South Africa's most talentedboxers, although perhaps not the most hardworking fighter. We can still give him some credit for putting South African boxing on the map during his time.

 When the Sanyo Boxing academy opened in Soweto when Thobela was a teenager, he swapped the soccer pitch for the boxing ring. He met boxing trainer Norman Hlabane and soon joined him in his gym in New Canada. He would remain with Hlabane for most of his boxing career. Hlabane trained Thobela through  amateur fights . Thobela’s role model was Salavador Sanchez, the Mexican WBC featherweight champion who died in a car accident in 1982. He and Hlabane spent hours watching videos of the fallen champion.

Thobela became increasingly marketable and began to fight outside of South Africa. In 1990, three of his five fights were in the United States and all three ended in victories, two by knockout over Pascual Aranda and Mauricio Aceves who he both disposed of in the fifth round.. He went on to defend the title three times. In 1993, he challenged WBA lightweight title holder Tony Lopez and lost. They had a rematch later that year which Thobela won; however, he lost the title in his first defence when he faced Orzubek Nazarov. He lost again in a rematch with Nazarov in 1994. He later moved up to middle weight.

 In 2000 he took on WBC Super Middleweight Title holder Glenn Catley and won the title. It was only his second fight at the higher weight limit. Unfortunately he failed to defend the title and lost to Dave Hilton Jr in a split decision.  He went on to lose his next five fights.

The former champion and as called by many the rose of Soweto, he is now a director and owner of a funeral parlour. However,  he has been  in the papers for controversial issues but the champ is still keeping his composure. Drama or not, he will remain the rose of Soweto

Anthony Joshua’s journey

BOXING CHAMPS TODAY_ANTHONY JOSHUA

Anthony gives his opponent the famous right jab.

BY:REFENTSE MAKGAMATHA

 

 

Joshua is the second British boxer, after James DeGale, to win both a gold medal at the Olympics and a world title by a major professional sanctioning body, as well as being the first British heavyweight to do so. He is also the second ever boxer, after Joe Frazier, to win a world heavyweight title whilst still reigning as Olympic champion at the top weight.

Joshua only began boxing in 2007, aged 18, when his cousin suggested he take it up. His club, Finchley ABC in Barnet, North London, is also home to professional heavyweight Dereck Chisora. Joshua won the 2009 and 2010 Haringey Box Cup. Joshua won the senior ABA Championships in 2010, in only his 18th bout, and later turned down £50,000 to turn professional. It does'nt end there, the young man is a jack of all traits.

Anthony Joshua’s journey from being an Olympic Gold medalist to a world heavyweight title contender has taken just 15 professional fights, as he prepares to tackle IBF champion Charles Martin in his 16th ring outing, which could be his finest yet.The 27-year-old has enjoyed a rampant run from Olympic glory in 2012 to recently getting the British strap, and he now faces the huge prospect of earning a world title victory at this early stage of his already impressive career. History suggests Joshua is adopting the right stance. When American legend Mike Tyson beat Trevor Berbick in 1986 to secure his first world heavyweight title, fame and adulation had already spoiled him.

Joshua disposed of Martin 63 seconds faster than Tyson disposed of Berbick. Joshua won a world title 12 fights faster than Tyson. Fingers crossed Joshua's career takes far longer to unravel - and that he's not spotted driving around with a tiger in his passenger seat any time soon.

 

Like many boxers, Joshua has tricks up his sleeve to promote his matches. He wants  to carry on being naughtier than ever so that, when the time comes, he can promote his fights as good versus bad, sensible versus daft - however you want to frame it.



BOXING JARGON..

LETS TALK BOXING LANGUAGE!





QUOTE BY MUHAMMAD ALI

 

BY: REFENTSE MAKGAMATHA

 

I've been a boxing fan since the age of 9 when I used to watch the movie by Sylvester Stallone, ROCKY!

The movie was great but when it was time to fight, I would try to figure out what the referees were saying because it was as though it was Spanish in my head.

So,  did a whole lot of research and got to learn the meanings of all the terms used in the ring.

 

apron The apron is the part of a ring that extends beyond the ropes

back-pedal To back-pedal is to retreat from an opponent while still facing them

bantamweight Bantamweight is the professional weight category of maximum 54kg (118lb)

belt Belt is an imaginary line around the waist below which punches are prohibited

blocking Blocking is the use of the shoulders, arms, or hands to prevent an opponent’s punch from landing cleanly

bob and weave To bob and weave is to make quick bodily movements up and down and from side to side in order to dodge punches. In boxing bobbing moves the head laterally and beneath an incoming punch. As the opponent's punch arrives, the fighter bends the legs quickly and simultaneously shifts the body either slightly right or left. Fighters generally begin the bob and weave to the left, as most opponents strike with their left hand, or jab hand first.

 bolo Bolo is a long sweeping uppercut (said to resemble a slash with a bolo knife). When used in boxing, the bolo punch's range of motion is like that of a hook combined with an uppercut. As such, the punch should be thrown at 4–5 o'clock from an orthodox boxer's perspective. Its most important aspect is a circular motion performed with one arm to distract an opponent, causing the opponent to either take his eyes off the attacker's other arm or actually focus on the fighter's circling arm. When the opponent concentrates on the hand that is circling, the bolo puncher will usually sneak in a punch with the opposite hand. When the rival concentrates on the hand that is not moving, the bolo puncher will usually follow through. 

bout Bout is a contest

boxer Boxer is a person who boxes or is skilled in the sport

boxing gloves Boxing gloves are the special padded gloves worn by boxers

boxing match Boxing match is a match or contest between two boxers

boxing ring Boxing ring is the fuller term for a ring

boxing weight Boxing weight is the particular weight category at which boxers are matched

break! Break! is a command by the referee to the boxers in a clinch to separate

canvas Canvas is the floor of a ring.

cauliflower ear Cauliflower ear is an ear permanently swollen and disfigured by repeated blows [in appearance resembling the clumped shape of a cauliflower]

caution Caution is a reprimand given to a boxer by the referee following an infringement, three such reprimands usually resulting in a warning

champion Champion is a competitor who has excelled all others

chin Chin is the ability to withstand punches

clinch To clinch is to hold one’'s opponent in such a way that he cannot throw punches

combination Combination is a series of punches thrown in quick succession

corkscrew Corkscrew is a punch thrown with the elbow out and a twisting motion of the wrist corner Corner is one of the diagonally opposite angles of the ring, where a boxer sits between rounds and is attended by a second; it is also used as another term for the second himself corner man Corner man is another term for a second diet.

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT. WE CAN FINALLY SHOUT OUT THESE TERMS AT BOXING MATCH.

 





A PEAK INTO A BOXER'S DIET

PHOTO CREDIT: BOXERS HEALTH BOOK

 

BY: REFENTSE MAKGAMATHA

 

Back in the 30s to 80s, our grandmothers would drool over bodies of boxing champs. Though boxing is no longer as recognized as before, for those who still want to partake in the sport, here are some diet tips.

 

Meat – Stick to white meat. It is easier for your body to digest, processes faster through your body, and doesn’t sit around in your stomach making you sluggish. Examples of white meat are chicken, turkey, and fish. Funny how white meat happens to be lean animals that can fly or move quickly? Red meat is the stuff you try to avoid if you can – which is beef or pork. Maybe it’s because our cows and pigs are fed crap that it makes their meat less healthy for the body.

 

Proteins – Besides meat, eggs, tuna, peanut butter, and milk are an excellent source of pure protein. Remember, this is boxing and not weightlifting, so don’t try to be like a bodybuilder and eat one jar of peanut butter a day. It does nothing for you.

 

Fruits and Vegetables – Everybody needs vitamins, this is a requirement to be a healthy person in general. Eat a wide variety of them. Remember the more colorful the better.

 

Liquids – Water, water, water! One gallon a day is minimum for everybody in general. Two to three gallons is a must if you workout hard and/or live in a hot state. Again, this is a minimum, if you can drink more, do it. Stay the hell away from alcohol, it will slow you down, fatten you up, and put you in more situations where you are likely to be straying away from the healthy boxer’s lifestyle!

 

Fats – Stick to healthy fats. In regards to your body fat, this has more to do with your genetic makeup than anything. If you have a body that builds up fat easily, stay away from unhealthy fats for at least five days out of the week. It’s ok to enjoy your food once a week since boxing training is very tough and will burn off the fat quickly anyways. Unless you’re an elite level boxer training for a world championship, your trainer won’t know about the ice cream you ate for breakfast.

supplements – pills, and lab-created substances aren’t natural. They will never be able provide you the same level of nutrients that you get from eating real food. The simple reason is because they are created in labs and just because you ate a 100mg pill of vitamin A doesn’t mean your body will actually absorb it all. Your body can only absorb a certain amount of nutrients at a time and the rest goes to waste. Just be normal and stick to food. Forget about all those weightlifter’s supplments and all that. They are for looks and not for real performance. Remember, if pills really did help, we’d all be eating pills instead of food.

 



MIKE TYSON IS NAMED THE SECOND GREATEST BOXER!

MIKE TYSON TOOK ALI'S FOOTSTEPS.

PHOTO CREDIT: WARNER BROS

BY:REFENTSE MAKGAMATHA



 

Tyson successfully defended the world heavyweight championship nine times , including victories over Larry Holmes and Frank Bruno.

 A quick reminder, Larry Holmes is the man who defeated Muhammad Ali at his prime and Muhammad actually asked Tyson to beat Larry for him. From the day Tyson made it to the ring, Ali saw potential in him which is quite rare for the late egotistic former champion.

In 1990, he lost his titles to underdog Buster Douglas, who knocked Tyson out in the tenth round. Attempting to regain the titles, Tyson defeated Donovan Ruddock twice in 1991, but pulled out of a fight with then-undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield (who had defeated Douglas later in 1990) due to injury.

Tyson had pressure as a black man to make the great Ali proud though he fumbled here and there.

Tyson fought Holmes in January of '88. Holmes was 38 years old and coming off a two-year layoff. For three rounds, the old man used everything he could -- his height, his infamous jab, his experience -- to prevent Tyson's full-out charge. But in the fourth, the animal was unleashed. The last minute of the fight was the longest of Holmes' wonderful career. It started with one of the most beautiful combos in heavyweight history. Larry was too proud to let one knockdown stop him, but lunging Tyson hook after lunging Tyson hook kept connecting. With seven seconds left in the round, the third knockdown squashed the fading legend.

No one had ever done that to Larry Holmes, before or after that fight. In 75 matches, it was his only knockout loss."But I had to win that fight because I made a promise, you see," Tyson said.A promise?"No one knows this story, man. It's kind of a secret. About the promise I made."Promise to who?"Muhammad, man. I made him the promise. I owed it to him. Because of what happened between Holmes and Ali."

Months before Muhammad Ali's death, Mike Tyson paid Ali a visit as old as he was, unable to mumble a thing. Ali's humour never died as he showed Tyson his shaking fists and trying to keep a mean face on. The two got along very well, but Tyson lives on to train even more young boxers, so that they might also have a GREAT ROLE MODEL.

 

 



THE GREATEST OF ALL TIMES!

MUHAMMAD ALI IS LAID TO REST.

PHOTO CREDIT:NEIL LEIFER

 

 

BY REFENTSE MAKGAMATHA



You can't talk about boxing and not mention the

great world champion boxer Muhammad Ali.

It is with great sadness to announce that the god of boxing has passed on.

 

The poetice, intelligent, well raised, gentleman, greatest boxer and how

could we forget as he would say he is also the prettiest. The boxing icon

took his last breath on the 3rd of June 2016 at the age of 74 after fighting

Parkinsons disease for over 20 years.Ali relied on his superior hand speed,

reflexes and constant movement, dancing and circling opponents for most of the fight.
His footwork was so strong that it was extremely difficult for opponents to cut down the ring and corner

Ali against the ropes.

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Ali shot to fame by winning light-heavyweight gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics.Many boxing purists still refer to Muhammad Ali as the best fighter to ever grace a boxing ring.
Ali relied on his superior hand speed, reflexes and constant movement, dancing and circling opponents for most of the fight. His footwork was so strong that it was extremely difficult for opponents to cut down the ring and corner Ali against the ropes.It was a style that saw Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jnr, win multiple world heavy weight titles. Ali was not without controversy and often found himself in trouble with authorities because of his outspoken nature.

 

His success was'nt just for him but also the black audeience. Having grown up and soon becoming a black champion at a time when black people were oppressed by white authorities. Ali was outspoken about religious freedom and racial injustice against young African Americans. At the age of 22 he won the world heavyweight championship in 1964 from Sonny Liston in a shocking upset. Shortly after that bout, Ali joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name.

In 1967, three years after winning the heavyweight title, Ali refused to be conscripted into the US military, citing his religious beliefs and opposition to American involvement in the Vietnam War.
He was eventually arrested and found guilty on draft evasion charges and stripped of his boxing title. He did not fight again for nearly four years,losing a time of peak performance in an athlete’s career.
Ali craved the spotlight, often took control of press conferences and always entertained crowds wherever he went. He was famous for his trash talk and getting under his opponents skin.

Ali went on to win some of the greatest fights of all time; The Rumble in the Jungle in 1974 where he famously beat George Foreman on African soil, fighting in front of thousands in Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He leaves his a wife and 9 children behind, MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.