One of the pioneers of professional boxing in the Eastern Cape and former featherweight campaigner Lawrence ‘Slow Poison’ Ndzondo reckons that the sport has changed since his last fight in the paid ranks.
Ndzondo together with Stanley Toni, Cornett Dunjwa and Allistair Mahashe were the first Eastern Cape boxers to ditch their amateur vests in 1965.
The 1963 South African amateur champion notched 24 victories with nine knockouts, a draw and 15 losses in a professional career, which started in November 1965 and ended in July 1971.
‘‘Boxing is business today and it involves a lot of money. It was just sport during our time,’’ Ndzondo, who fought against David Sosibo in his professional debut at Curries Fountain in Durban, said.
‘‘I turned professional in November 1965 and had my debut fight the same month. We were four boxers from International Boxing Club when we turned professional.
‘‘Our then manager the late Mzoli Madyaka had friends all over the country and he made it possible for us to turn professional in Durban. This was after I had informed him about my wish to become a professional boxer.
‘‘When you are a professional boxer you sell yourself to promoters and that is exactly what we did even though there were few promoters at the time. The late Eric Gabelana was the first promoter here in East London and he helped us a lot.’’
During his days as a professional boxer, Ndzondo traded leather with some of yesteryear heroes like the legendary Anthony ‘Blue Jaguar’ Morodi, Alfred ‘Kid Bassie’ Buqwana, Levi Madi and Aubrey Peta just to mention a few.
Ndzondo had 10 fights in 1967 as boxers fought many times in a calendar year back in the day unlike it is the case now where fights are difficult to come by.
Sadly, Mdantsane-based Ndzondo has lost interest in the fistic sport and does not attend tournaments anymore.
‘‘I have no interest of going to tournaments. Boxing is not the same anymore. People who climb into the ring have contributed to me losing interest in the sport. Boxers want to kill each other instead of entertaining people,’’ Ndzondo, who was born on 2 November 1940, said.
Written by Monwabisi Jimlongo
