Life goes on without Azinga Fuzile.
That is the message coming from the Duncan Village Boxing Academy (DVBA) gym the star used to call home.
Fuzile has now left to train at Colin Nathan’s gymnasium in Johannesburg but those he left behind are continuing with the job of maintaining the reputation of the talent-churning club.
A fortnight ago it was Siphosethu Mvula who brought the ABU lightweight title to the club after seeing off the challenge of Prince Dlomo.
On Sunday that responsibility will fall on Aphiwe Masengwana who actually grew up with Fuzile and started training at the club from a young age.
Masengwana, who is the cousin of another DVBA star, Xolisani Ndongeni, will vie for revenge when he challenges Simthembile Luzipho for the Eastern Cape featherweight title at Queenstown Indoor Centre in Komani.
The fight will form part of Zuko W Promotions plan which is aimed at returning boxing to the area after more than three years of inactivity.
Born in Stutterheim, Khwezi Booi of Zuko W Promotions has taken it upon himself to revive the sport in the area which used to produce such revered talent. Although the area continues to produce talent it tends to play second fiddle to more active boxing regions.
Masangwana will use the event to breathe life into his career after suffering three losses, one of them against Luzipho in April this year.
After bouncing back to winning ways Masangwana wants to erase the loss to Luzipho and bring joy to the club.
“We are ready for Luzipho and this time the title is going back home,” said Masangwana’s trainer, Mzamo Njekanye, who continues to unearth promising talent in the shack-littered township.
Despite being housed in an old rundown building, Njekanye’s club is one of the most respected gymnasiums in the land.
Njekanye has taken it upon himself to teach young kids boxing having turned Ndongeni and Fuzile into stars after recruiting them at a young age.
Masangwana and Thabo Shushwana are two boxers who call the club, which leaks water when it rains, his home.
The success of Fuzile and Ndongeni, who was transformed from a rugby player to a boxer, is serving as motivation to other young boxers.
Njekanye is already singing the praises of his other emerging stars whom he will unleash on to the boxing scene soon.
But, for now, the job is to guide Masangwana to avenge his loss before setting his sights on the national title held by one of his conquerors Khanyile Bulana.
“One step at the time,” Njekanye cautions when asked about the prospect of challenging Bulana.
“We are righting the wrongs now and the first step begins with Luzipho then Bulana will be next.”
While Masangwana cannot look far, the prospect of facing Bulana is already salivating as it would pit Njekanye against Nathan to whom Bulana and Fuzile fled.
Booi is happy to give Masangwana the platform to avenge his loss saying he has always enjoyed close relations with Njekanye’s club.
“We are happy to bring top boxing to Queenstown and I am confident that the bout between Masangwana and Luzipho will provide fireworks,” he said.
There will be eight other bouts featuring mostly boxers from the region...