By ZINGISA MVUMVU
“I became the first athlete to win a major international crown in the new democratic South Africa when I became the world champion on August 20 in 1994. Then the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup the following year before Bafana Bafana won the Afcon but whenever this history is told, boxing is deliberately omitted.”
This was said by former IBF super bantamweight champion Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu, who bemoaned the lack of recognition of former boxing champions.
According to “The Beast”, it was embarrassing for Buffalo City Metro Municipality and the Eastern Cape provincial government to brag about this province being the home of boxing while failing to recognise those who put it on the world map.
An emotional Bungu, during an interview with the Dispatch in Mdantsane this week, said the situation was so “hurting” that he was starting to believe there could be a mysterious dark cloud hanging over boxing in this country.
Bungu, after winning the world title in 1994, went on to defend his belt a record-breaking 13 times, but to this day he feels his achievement and that of many other boxers who hoisted the country’s flag high is not appreciated.
But there is one man Bungu credits for having inspired him towards his heroics and the last to appreciate what he did for the country – former president Nelson Mandela.
“When I was going for my second title defence Madiba phoned me and I had a lunch with him,” Bungu recalled.
“But that did not end there because Tata personally phoned me before every of the other 12 title defences wherever I was fighting across the world and he would say we are proud of you and you must know that you are an asset to this country.”
The 49-year-old former pugilist turned trainer emphasised that him speaking out was not just about himself, as many boxing legends felt the same way.
What was hurting to former boxers is that they were only embraced and honoured when they are no more.
“It is not that we are forcing to be recognised but it is the promises that our government keep on making that makes us to have expectations.
“For instance Nkosinathi ‘Happy Boy’ Mgxaji died living a life of a pauper and no one cared about Bro Nko,” he said.
“Then a certain minister of sport who attended the funeral of Bro Nko made promises that he would build a statue of him but up until today that is yet to happen.”
When asked what was stopping boxers from using their fame and money when still in action to build a lasting legacy, Bungu said it was a misguided public perception to assume fighters have money.
He explained: “The problem is that people judge local fighters on the standard of our American counterparts who are loaded, but that is not how it is.
“There is no money in boxing, especially here in South Africa and particularly black fighters. There are politics involved which I do not want to delve into,” he said. — zingisam@dispatch.co.za