Fresh from successfully defending his national amateur boxing crown last month, Mthatha-born Sikho Nqothole is now aiming to conquer Africa this coming weekend.The 20-year-old Nozuko Senior Secondary School Grade 12 pupil will be part of a 15-member South African team set to compete in the Africa Cup games in Morocco from August 16 to 24.
Nqothole, who left Mthatha for Johannesburg to sort out his visa documents yesterday before flying to Morocco with the rest of the team tomorrow, told the Daily Dispatch that he was hoping to carry his good form on to the continental showpiece.
“I am not going there to add numbers. I have just one mission – to win that gold medal and make my country proud,” he said.
“I am ready and I am fit and raring to go.”
The youngster, who is also aiming to be part of the entourage that will fly the country’s flag high during the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil, already boasts six gold medals won in national competitions.
He also hopes to turn professional as soon as the Olympics are over.
Last year, he won gold in the South African National Elite Championships in Pretoria – a feat he just repeated during the same championships last month – this time in Grahamstown.
He campaigns in the 52kg weight division.
He has also fought in Germany and represented the country at the Youth Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom.
But Nqothole, who only started boxing at the age of 10 years, claimed the sport was never his first love.
“I was basically dragged by my older brother into a boxing gymnasium near home in Ikhwezi Township when I was 10. I was into soccer and even though I was not good at it, I was passionate about kicking the leather ball.”
It was only after winning his first fight that the love for boxing started growing in him.
“It has taught me a lot of things and helped me stay away from the streets. I shudder to think what I would have become had it not been for my brother’s decision all those years ago,” he added.
And as the boxing bug bit him, so his skills in the ring improved, something reflected in his record of only six losses in more than 100 amateur fights.
“I never lose twice in a year,” he claimed boldly when the Dispatch caught up with him yesterday.
His mentor at the Ngangelizwe-based Khulani Boxing Club, Mthetho Dumezweni also rated his protégè’s chances of coming back with a gold medal very highly.
“He has everything. He can be aggressive when needed but is also equally adept at boxing cleverly when the situation requires,” he said.
He described the young pugilist as a hard worker and a very intelligent boxer who used more brains than brawn inside the ring.
“He is definitely coming back with that gold medal .
“He is clever enough to know how to stay out of danger as African boxers rely on power more than out-thinking their opponents,” said Dumezweni.
Wunderkind with talent in his fists dreams big
Nqothole, who left Mthatha for Johannesburg to sort out his visa documents yesterday before flying to Morocco with the rest of the team tomorrow, told the Daily Dispatch that he was hoping to carry his good form on to the continental showpiece.
“I am not going there to add numbers. I have just one mission – to win that gold medal and make my country proud,” he said.
“I am ready and I am fit and raring to go.”
The youngster, who is also aiming to be part of the entourage that will fly the country’s flag high during the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil, already boasts six gold medals won in national competitions.
He also hopes to turn professional as soon as the Olympics are over.
Last year, he won gold in the South African National Elite Championships in Pretoria – a feat he just repeated during the same championships last month – this time in Grahamstown.
He campaigns in the 52kg weight division.
He has also fought in Germany and represented the country at the Youth Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom.
But Nqothole, who only started boxing at the age of 10 years, claimed the sport was never his first love.
“I was basically dragged by my older brother into a boxing gymnasium near home in Ikhwezi Township when I was 10. I was into soccer and even though I was not good at it, I was passionate about kicking the leather ball.”
It was only after winning his first fight that the love for boxing started growing in him.
“It has taught me a lot of things and helped me stay away from the streets. I shudder to think what I would have become had it not been for my brother’s decision all those years ago,” he added.
And as the boxing bug bit him, so his skills in the ring improved, something reflected in his record of only six losses in more than 100 amateur fights.
“I never lose twice in a year,” he claimed boldly when the Dispatch caught up with him yesterday.
His mentor at the Ngangelizwe-based Khulani Boxing Club, Mthetho Dumezweni also rated his protégè’s chances of coming back with a gold medal very highly.
“He has everything. He can be aggressive when needed but is also equally adept at boxing cleverly when the situation requires,” he said.
He described the young pugilist as a hard worker and a very intelligent boxer who used more brains than brawn inside the ring.
“He is definitely coming back with that gold medal .
“He is clever enough to know how to stay out of danger as African boxers rely on power more than out-thinking their opponents,” said Dumezweni.
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