Baba ‘Babes’ Makala is preaching the importance of mental fitness as he continues to train Zolisa Batyi ahead of the boxer’s fight against Asanda Gingqi on Saturday, 28 May.
Batyi, who trains under Makala in Somerset East, challenges South African featherweight champion Gingqi at the East London International Convention Centre (ICC).
“We are hard at work plotting Gingqi’s downfall. My boy is mentally and physically fit. Mental fitness is very important to a boxer. It’s useless to have a physically fit boxer who is not mentally fit,” Makala said.
Batyi was forced to go train more than 200 kilometres from Mdantsane, his normal training base. This is so because Gingqi is his stablemate in Mdantsane and their trainer Khangelani Jack chose to train the reigning champion ahead of their fight.
“We know how Asanda fights. Remember, both Zolisa and Asanda have sparred against each other before. Zolisa had always wanted to train under me. He’s happy to be with us. He wouldn’t mind getting into the ring even if he could be told that the fight is tomorrow,” Makala said.
