Ever wondered why some boxers enter the ring with a flashy fighting gear but look different out of it?
For instance the image of the all-white fighting kit one-hit wonder Buster Douglas was wearing when he knocked out the seemingly invincible Mike Tyson in 1990 will forever be the stark reminder of one of the biggest boxing upsets in history.
There is a saying that a boxer is as good as the fighting gear he wears and if one observes Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni’s military-style boxing trunks perhaps his unbeaten record bares testimony to that.
This is one area fashion designer Lonwabo Witbooi has decided to concentrate on to make his contribution to boxing.
Witbooi grew up in a boxing environment as his father, Spokes, was a renowned trainer of well-known boxers including Simpiwe Pamana, Simpiwe Mfaniso, Thembile Lubisi, and others.
Spokes is still considered one of the best technicians of the game, and his involvement with the once invincible Nkosinathi Joyi took the career of the left-hander to another level.
As they say, the leaf does not fall far from the tree, and his son strived to curve his own niche in the game, but in a different sphere.
Having boxed as an amateur when he won the silver medal at the SA junior championships in 1994, the young Witbooi decided to quit the ring and focus on his fashion design studies.
This even though a silver medal at the championships of a team that consisted of such good boxers as Hawk Makepula, Khulile Makheba, Mhikiza Myekeni and others was such a huge achievement.
“My father did not want me to be a boxer, so he insisted that I should instead focus on my studies,” Lonwabo says.
“But as they say, once the boxing bug bites you, you stay bitten, so I could not shake off the passion I have for the sport.”
He then started to design fighting gear for boxers and within no time almost all boxers in the region were queueing for his products.
“I started to design Aphiwe Mboyiya’s kit before his SA featherweight title clash against Lusanda Komanisi,’’ he recalls.
While the fight was a high-profile encounter, Witbooi did not cash in on it as he donated the kit to Mboyiya.
After boxers saw how flashy Mboyiya looked in his defeat by Komanisi, Witbooi was on demand.
“I have lost count of the number of boxers for which I have designed the kit.”
He admits that there is competition, but as a designer who has a deep knowledge of boxing, he stands head and shoulders above the rest.
For instance, all a boxer does is to give him preferable colours and leave all the kit design on him.
“As someone who grew up in boxing I know exactly what a boxers wants. I am able to mix the colours well to make a statement for a boxer.”
While he is the undisputed boxing design king in the region, there is strong competition in Johannesburg, where most local boxers have been purchasing their fighting kit.
But to his advantage his prices are accessible, and the fact that he is based in the region saves his clients delivery fees.
How long does it take for him to design a fighting kit?
“Just a week, sometimes even three days to design the trunks, gown and other stuff for the cornermen,” he says.
Despite his soaring business, Witbooi still ploughs back to the community by donating fighting kit to two boxers every year.
The criteria to select deserving boxers include their poor background and showing boxing commitment.
“The deserving boxers are selected by facebook committee, and so far so good.”
Top gear proves a real knockout
For instance the image of the all-white fighting kit one-hit wonder Buster Douglas was wearing when he knocked out the seemingly invincible Mike Tyson in 1990 will forever be the stark reminder of one of the biggest boxing upsets in history.
There is a saying that a boxer is as good as the fighting gear he wears and if one observes Xolisani “Nomeva” Ndongeni’s military-style boxing trunks perhaps his unbeaten record bares testimony to that.
This is one area fashion designer Lonwabo Witbooi has decided to concentrate on to make his contribution to boxing.
Witbooi grew up in a boxing environment as his father, Spokes, was a renowned trainer of well-known boxers including Simpiwe Pamana, Simpiwe Mfaniso, Thembile Lubisi, and others.
Spokes is still considered one of the best technicians of the game, and his involvement with the once invincible Nkosinathi Joyi took the career of the left-hander to another level.
As they say, the leaf does not fall far from the tree, and his son strived to curve his own niche in the game, but in a different sphere.
Having boxed as an amateur when he won the silver medal at the SA junior championships in 1994, the young Witbooi decided to quit the ring and focus on his fashion design studies.
This even though a silver medal at the championships of a team that consisted of such good boxers as Hawk Makepula, Khulile Makheba, Mhikiza Myekeni and others was such a huge achievement.
“My father did not want me to be a boxer, so he insisted that I should instead focus on my studies,” Lonwabo says.
“But as they say, once the boxing bug bites you, you stay bitten, so I could not shake off the passion I have for the sport.”
He then started to design fighting gear for boxers and within no time almost all boxers in the region were queueing for his products.
“I started to design Aphiwe Mboyiya’s kit before his SA featherweight title clash against Lusanda Komanisi,’’ he recalls.
While the fight was a high-profile encounter, Witbooi did not cash in on it as he donated the kit to Mboyiya.
After boxers saw how flashy Mboyiya looked in his defeat by Komanisi, Witbooi was on demand.
“I have lost count of the number of boxers for which I have designed the kit.”
He admits that there is competition, but as a designer who has a deep knowledge of boxing, he stands head and shoulders above the rest.
For instance, all a boxer does is to give him preferable colours and leave all the kit design on him.
“As someone who grew up in boxing I know exactly what a boxers wants. I am able to mix the colours well to make a statement for a boxer.”
While he is the undisputed boxing design king in the region, there is strong competition in Johannesburg, where most local boxers have been purchasing their fighting kit.
But to his advantage his prices are accessible, and the fact that he is based in the region saves his clients delivery fees.
How long does it take for him to design a fighting kit?
“Just a week, sometimes even three days to design the trunks, gown and other stuff for the cornermen,” he says.
Despite his soaring business, Witbooi still ploughs back to the community by donating fighting kit to two boxers every year.
The criteria to select deserving boxers include their poor background and showing boxing commitment.
“The deserving boxers are selected by facebook committee, and so far so good.”
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