When he’s not attending to sick patients, Doctor Mpumelelo Mkhumbuzi is busy planning his wayforward in a professional boxing career, which started on a positive note on Thursday evening.
Mkhumbuzi, who turned professional this year, made history by becoming the first medical doctor in South Africa to swap his stethoscope for boxing gloves. And he won his debut fight as he registered a first round technical knockout victory over Steven Nortje at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni.
Trained by Sizwe ‘Bhubesi’ Mthembu, the 28-year-old Mkhumbuzi is now based in Rustenburg, North West, where he works at a public hospital.
“I’m very happy that I won my debut fight. The win has encouraged me greatly and I’m hoping for the best, going forward,” Mkhumbuzi said.
He added: “I was not that serious when I started boxing as I only wanted to know how to throw a punch as any person must be able to do so. I joined a gym in Durban and my coach, Bhubesi, saw a potential in me. He then pushed me through my amateur days and thereafter, he suggested that I turn professional. Now here I am in the professional set-up.”
With his first professional win already in the bag, there’s no doubt that Mkhumbuzi, who is originally from the Umhlabuyalingana Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, is looking forward to many more wins inside the square ring. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
