By Chris Totobela
Former world champion Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu spent time with young and upcoming Makhanda boxers at the indoor sports centre in Joza on Sunday, arming them with invaluable information on how to become world champs one day.
The former International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organisation (IBO) junior featherweight champion shared his inspiring boxing journey from humble beginnings in the township of Mdantsane outside East London.
Bungu started boxing in 1976 at the tender age of 12 years.
Nicknamed The Beast, Bungu turned professional in 1987 and won the IBF super bantamweight title by upsetting Kennedy McKinney in 1994. The fight was named 1994 Ring Magazine Upset of the Year. Bungu defended the title 13 times.
He relinquished the belt in 2000 to move up to featherweight to take on Naseem Hamed, but lost. Bungu boasted a career record of 39-5-0.
In his talk, Bungu kept reminding the young boxers and their mentors that nothing comes easy in life. “I come from very humble beginnings where at some stage of my life I even had no shoes and had to walk barefoot. But that never distracted me because I had a dream of becoming a world champion one day.”
In his prime, the southpaw fighter was the darling of South African sports.
Bungu spoke to the group about about the importance of discipline. “As a boxer one needs to be disciplined. You cannot go around drinking alcohol and smoking drugs while you harbour a dream of becoming a champion one day.”
The soft-spoken Bungu encouraged South Africans to appreciate their own people and show them love while they are still alive. “We need to stop this bad habit of embracing and celebrating overseas superstars while neglecting our very own. If Floyd Mayweather was going to give the same talk here today, this arena was going to be jam-packed, but because it is Bungu, there are not as may people as we would have liked.”
He also warned young boxers about copying other boxers’ fighting styles, urging them to be creative in order to come up with their own styles. “It doesn’t matter how much you love your role model, but do not imitate him, have your own identity.”
Speaking told Grocott’s Mail, Bungu said he was honoured to share his story with young boxers in Makhanda.
Apart from being appointed by former Sports minister Zizi Kodwa as a boxing ambassador, Bungu is involved in training young boxers through his Vuyani Bungu Foundation.
He also hinted that he would soon meet with current Sports minister Gayton McKenzie about burning issues in boxing, including the lack of proper facilities in disadvantaged communities.
Rhodes Boxing Club’s George Mofokeng lauded Bungu for his Makhanda visit. “It was amazing for us to get close to somebody of Bungu’s calibre and he is a true inspiration. Seeing all his belts encourages me to work even harder at training. I have learned that my lifestyle as a boxer needs to change.”
Lelethu Cunge, a female boxer from Mfuzo Boxing Club, echoed similar sentiments. “I feel honoured to be here today and listening to the former champion’s story. There are also a few things that I would like to practise at training and implement them in my next fight.”
Thabang Hlalele co-ordinated the session while Khayalethu Richards of Sababo thanked Bungu for coming to share his success story with young people before closing the session.
