Boxing gym, with Brian Mitchel at the helm, opens in Edenvale
The gym’s goal is to train boxers and help the community.
SA boxing legend Brian Mitchel officially opened the doors to Rex Ultimate Boxing (RUB) Gym on Van Riebeek Avenue, Edenvale.
The professional boxing gym designed to improve the sport and empower the youth opened its doors at Eden Mall on September 2.
Born in 1961, Mitchel grew up in Malvern and later lived in Bedfordview, Dowerglen and now Johannesburg South. He made his professional debut in 1981.
During his career, Mitchel only lost one of his 49 fights, winning a South African title and the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation junior lightweight titles.
In 2009 Mitchel was the first SA boxer to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota.
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He has also been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and the SA Sports Hall of Fame.
The gym will be run in partnership with Jeff Ellis and Marco Luis, while Edenvale resident Vusi Mtolo will fill the role of chief trainer.
Mitchel also announced Golden Gloves’ Triple Treat tournament. The tournament will take place at Emperors Palace on September 25.
It will see seven bouts held in the evening. The main bout will see the gym’s Shervontaigh Koopman take on Simon Dladla in a 12-round SA junior middleweight title fight, while Cowin Ray and
Frank Rodriques will face off in a 12-round SA vacant super-middleweight title fight.
Other boxers who will go toe to toe include Josh Pretorius vs Wilhelm Nebe, Khayalethu Mbedje vs Ricardo Malijika, Xolani Selimane vs Nthethelelo Nkosi, Thando Mali vs Phikelani Terrence
Khumalo and Juan Croucamp vs Jono Grose.
Mitchel hopes the gym will do big things for boxing and the community.
Luis said they hope to create something special in Edenvale.
“We already have a great stable. I feel that it is starting to grow and that the sky is the limit,” he said.
The gym is home to boxers such as Edenvale resident and International Boxing Organisation title holder Roarke Knapp and Primrose resident Koopman, who trains under Mtolo.
Ellis said the gym’s goal is to train boxers and help the community.
“We are going to do what we have done for the past 50 years and build boxing as a sport in the community,” he highlighted.
Although the gym is for professional boxers, it has partnered with Edenvale resident Natasha Voorhout to promote boxing among the youth.
Luis explained that Voorhout reached out to the gym, looking for a facility to train and empower youngsters. He described her as a skilled fighter.
Voorhout, who is trained in taekwondo, grew up surrounded by boxing, watching Mitchel’s fights.
She said she is looking forward to growing the sport.
One of Voorhout’s students, Avianah Abrahams, said boxing makes her feel more confident and empowered. Her brother, Caleb, said the sport not only gives him more confidence but makes him feel better about himself.
Besides promoting discipline, fitness and giving children an outlet to express themselves, Voorhout hopes to encourage more women to take up the sport.
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