Luff on path to new frontier

Boxing Mecca caught up with Eastern Cape heavyweight champion Donovan Luff who stands on the verge of making history by becoming the first ever white national heavyweight champion from the province when he challenges Anton Nel in a battle of senior citizens Pretoria tomorrow.

BM: How are you Don? I hear that you are on the brink of history making feat. Tell us about it.

DONOVAN LUFF: I am good man and yes it is true that I stand to make history if I beat Anton Nel for the SA heavyweight title clash tomorrow.

BM: How did this fight come about?

DL: I was called by this promotion which I believe promotes Nel and I signed the contract.

BM: Are you prepared? Did you have a good camp?

DL: Unfortunately I did not have the best of camps because these people offered me the fight at short notice. I was offered this fight two weeks ago but I felt I should take it because it is the most important fight of my life so I could not turn it down.

BM: I know weight means nothing in the heavyweight division but surely there must be  a weight at which you feel comfortable when you are fighting. How much do you weigh now?

DL: Yes I am not in the best weight of my career because right now I am about 135kg which is a bit more. I would have loved to fight at 120kg at least but I am soldiering on and looking forward to this fight.

BM: What does making history mean  for you?

DL: Plenty, man, and I am determined to achieve the feat. I know Osborne Machimana challenged Nel for the SA heavyweight title way back in time and got stopped in 10 rounds. But remember that Machimana was not from this province but relocated here for boxing purposes. Now he has left so in essence I will be the first locally born boxer to fight for the national title. I know it is a big task because Nel is experienced but let’s see how it pans out.

BM: How old are you now Don?

DL: I am 39 years old....

BM: Come on now Don you cannot be that young. Remember I was around when you boxed before taking a long break and I think you were almost that age then.

DL: No man, I am really 39 years old.

BM: Ok back to the Nel fight. Do you think they deliberately informed you of the fight late so that they catch you unprepared?

DL: Actually I do.

BM: Why did you not turn it down then because as a mandatory challenger it is within your rights to do so.

DL: Like I said this is the biggest opportunity of my boxing career.

BM: When are you flying up to Pretoria?

DL: This morning  and I am concerned about the altitude there.

MB: But Don as a professional boxer should it not be a norm for someone to keep in shape?

DL: Yes I agree but remember that I also have a fulltime job as a prison warder at the West Bank Correctional Services.

BM: Good luck, man I hope you make  history.

DL: Thank you, man, watch out for this mlungu and thank you for speaking to me because I was beginning to get worried that the media does not care about this fight even though it has historic connotations.