With his debut fight less than a month away, middleweight fighter Nelson Mbele from Eastleigh-based Team Sweat Box is feeling cool, calm and collected.
The Golden Glove fight is set to be held on March 14. The 21-year-old boxer from the greater Edenvale area has a deep-rooted passion for the sport, something which he cannot describe.
“It feels like a natural talent, ever since I was a young child people always said I had a potential inside me.”
From the age of 10-years-old, Mbele started training himself at home, learning to throw punches.
“Because I never had any proper equipment at home I would put on my gloves and punch the wall,” said Mbele.
My grandfather and father always encouraged me to pursue the sport, pushing me to become better.
As he grew older Mbele wanted to get into the ring professionally and started looking for boxing gyms to join. “I was chased away from several gyms because they only trained professional and not amateur boxers.
“I remember seeing the signs for the Sweat Box when I was walking back home from high school so I asked about joining the gym.
“The coach wasn’t in at the time but the boxers were welcoming and told me anyone, professional or amateur, could join the gym.”
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Before Mbele could climb in the ring coach Mimo Spirito ensured that he was ready and could hold his own by putting him through the paces of the boxing class.
By pursuing the sport of boxing Mbele said it helped home become more disciplined. “It helped me escape a lot of the negative influences in life which affected some of the people I knew in high school,” said Mbele.
Besides assisting him with discipline Mbele said he enjoys the competition of the sport and looks forward to his fight.
Spirito said leading up to his debut Mbele has had several white-collar fights and is ready. He described Mbele as having a great support system behind him.
“His father, what a gentleman,” exclaimed Spirito. “Mbele’s father always backs his son, he is always proud of his son and is always there for him.”
Looking to the future Mbele hopes to bot only make a name for himself but to put Team Sweat Box on the map. “I want to help grow the gym, I want to make my coaches and my teammates proud,” said Mbele.
“This gym is my second home and if I excel the success will be for everyone.” As a person who loves the sport, Nelson hopes to flourish in it and hopes his home town gym will flourish too.
“Everyone at Sweat Box has put in a tremendous amount of work and I want the world to know where I come from and who helped me get there.”
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