An ancestral calling has forced former South African welterweight champion Mziwoxolo Ndwayana to quit the fistic sport.
Ndwayana from Makhanda in the Eastern Cape is now an igqirha after he retired from boxing this year.
The former national champion won the SA title after he stopped Shaun Ness in September 2018 and he was dethroned by his Eastern Cape homeboy Thulani Mbenge in December 2020.
“I have quit boxing because I had to answer to my ancestral calling. I had noticed that I would go to the gym to train and then feel weak once I had to start training. However, that never happened when I had to train boxers,” Ndwayana said.
Ndwayana, who lost his father and trainer Bulelani in March this year, last fought when he stopped Ugandan boxer Nicholas Jooga in December.
He revealed that his late father had implored him to never let his gym die once he passed away thus he’s keeping the fires burning by training up-and-coming boxers.
“My dad begged me not to let his stable die once he’s gone. He said that the night before he passed away. I now have four boxers, who turned professional this year,” Ndwayana said.
Ndwayana retired from the sport with a professional record of 21 wins (14 stoppages), seven defeats and two draws.
