In JohannesbuAFRICA’S most-decorated boxing trainer‚ Nick Durandt‚ is confident of delivering yet another WBC champion when his charge Ilunga “Junior” Makabu challenges cruiserweight champion Grigory Drozd in his native Russia in April.
The left-handed earned the top spot in the cruiserweight division after winning the elimination bout with an 11th-round stoppage of Thabiso Mchunu in Durban in May last year.
A confident Durandt insists that Makabu would emerge victorious against the Russian and return home with the title.
“I am in this game to produce champions‚” said the man who has produced more than 100 national, world and international champions.
“People might not have seen me on television for some time but I am still relevant and I have stock in my structure. My gym has a number of very good boxers‚ including two world champions — Moruti Mthalane and Lusanda Komanisi — who will be in action soon.”
The flamboyant Durandt carved out a niche for himself as a boxing trainer when he guided Thulani Malinga to victory over Briton Nigel Benn in a fight for the WBC super middleweight title in 1996.
Some of the 20000 vociferous English fans left the Telewest Arena in Newcastle in tears after the former British Army soldier‚ who in their eyes was invincible‚ had been dethroned.
Malinga boxed his way into the history books and became the first African fighter to capture the WBC strap under a local trainer. Ghanaian Azumah Nelson‚ on the other hand‚ was the first African fighter to win the WBC belt in 1983‚ but he achieved the feat under the guidance of American trainers having relocated to the US.
Makabu is a former WBC Silver and International undefeated champion from Kananga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Durandt will also be remembered for the ground-breaking world title fight between his charges Malcolm Klassen and Cassius Baloyi in 2009.
Durandt hired trainers Gert Strydom and Bernie Pailman to work on Klassen’’s corner while he opted to be in the corner of Baloyi‚ who surrendered the IBF junior lightweight belt with a seventh round stoppage. Baloyi has since hung up his gloves while Klassen is based in England. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
Durandt promises new world champ
The left-handed earned the top spot in the cruiserweight division after winning the elimination bout with an 11th-round stoppage of Thabiso Mchunu in Durban in May last year.
A confident Durandt insists that Makabu would emerge victorious against the Russian and return home with the title.
“I am in this game to produce champions‚” said the man who has produced more than 100 national, world and international champions.
“People might not have seen me on television for some time but I am still relevant and I have stock in my structure. My gym has a number of very good boxers‚ including two world champions — Moruti Mthalane and Lusanda Komanisi — who will be in action soon.”
The flamboyant Durandt carved out a niche for himself as a boxing trainer when he guided Thulani Malinga to victory over Briton Nigel Benn in a fight for the WBC super middleweight title in 1996.
Some of the 20000 vociferous English fans left the Telewest Arena in Newcastle in tears after the former British Army soldier‚ who in their eyes was invincible‚ had been dethroned.
Malinga boxed his way into the history books and became the first African fighter to capture the WBC strap under a local trainer. Ghanaian Azumah Nelson‚ on the other hand‚ was the first African fighter to win the WBC belt in 1983‚ but he achieved the feat under the guidance of American trainers having relocated to the US.
Makabu is a former WBC Silver and International undefeated champion from Kananga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Durandt will also be remembered for the ground-breaking world title fight between his charges Malcolm Klassen and Cassius Baloyi in 2009.
Durandt hired trainers Gert Strydom and Bernie Pailman to work on Klassen’’s corner while he opted to be in the corner of Baloyi‚ who surrendered the IBF junior lightweight belt with a seventh round stoppage. Baloyi has since hung up his gloves while Klassen is based in England. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital
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