Trainer unfazed by stars bolting from camp

Mthatha born and bred trainer Mthetho Dumezweni has vowed to continue producing the best boxers despite being hit by top boxer defections.

Dumezweni is one of the very few trainers honing skills of boxers in Mthatha.

He is renowned for producing top boxers such as southpaw Athi Dumezweni, who is his nephew, mini-flyweight upstart Bangile Nyangani, Siseko Makeleni, former SA lightweight champion Viwe Mdletyeni and African amateur gold medallist Sikho Nqothole.

However, his top stars Nqothole and Dumezweni have left him to pursue their careers in Johannesburg.

The latest to bolt his camp is Nyangani, who was involved in tit-for-tat battle with reigning SA mini-flyweight champion Siphamandla Baleni before losing on a points decision this past July.

Baleni also hails from Mthatha.

With just four fights under his belt, Nyangani was able to take Baleni to the distance despite injuring his right shoulder from the fourth round.

Dumezweni admitted that his nephew had left him without informing him.

“Yes I heard that he is training in Johannesburg,” he said.

“He never told me that he was planning to leave. Instead I learnt from other people that he was saying I did not care for him because I did not pay for his licence renewal and that is a blue lie.”

Dumezweni said that he was disappointed with his nephew’s departure as he at least thought that the fact that they are related would invoke a sense of loyalty between them.

“He did not have a decency to even call me yet he is my nephew.”

Boxing Mecca has learnt that Dumezweni is now training with Damean Durandt, son of the late boxing legend Nick Durandt.

Dumezweni makes his debut under Durandt tutelage in the Xaba Promotions and Events (XPE) show at Orient Theatre tonight.

The talented left-hander had all but won the SA junior-bantamweight title before defending champion Lindile Tshemese rallied to stop him in the final (12th round) of their epic clash last December.

After that agonising defeat, Dumezweni packed his bags to join Durandt.

Despite Dumezweni’s defection, XPE is continuing to bill him in its tournament such as the one tonight.

Nyangani has also reportedly joined his amateur buddy, Nqothole, at Alan Towel gymnasium in Johannesburg.

Dumezweni said Nyangani was undergoing surgery for his shoulder at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha but did not hint that he had in fact left.

“I had no idea that when I accompanied him to his hospital checkups he was from Johannesburg,” he said.

But at least Nyangani later sent Dumezweni a text messages to inform him that he had left.

Nqothole, who was the only SA boxer to win a gold medal at the African Olympic Qualifying Games in Cameroon last year, also dumped Dumezweni to go and turn professional under Towel.

He is also under XPE wing and has been kept active with five fights this year alone.

Despite the demoralising defections, Dumezweni said he would never stop unearthing more talent.

“Right now I have two good boys but I do not want to shout lest they steal them from me as they are doing.” — Boxing Mecca