Western Extension boxer Christopher Golding is fit and ready for his fight against Dwayne du Toit on September 25 at the Portuguese Hall in Turffontein at 14:00.
The fight, organised by Gauteng Boxing Promoters Association, is on the undercard of the main bout between champion Asanda Ginqgi and challenger Jeff Maganae for the SA featherweight title.
The 24-year old goes into this match full of confidence following a draw in his professional debut match where he went hammer and tongs with Njabulo Mhlungu in July.
Golding and du Toit know each other very well having trained and sparred together at Harold ‘The Hammer’ Volbrecht’s academy in Boksburg.
However, Golding, now under the tutelage of iconic VIP Boxing Academy trainer Harry Ramagoadi-Manaka, is confident he will drop du Toit to the canvas and grab the win.
“Dwayne is from my previous gym. We used to spar together. But coach Harry has changed my style. On September 25, he’s going to see a different boxer,” Golding said.
Despite almost quitting the sport following a devastating TKO loss in his only amateur match in 2018, his courage and love for boxing have been his best weapons since changing stables from Volbrecht’s gym to VIP Promotions.
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He credits Ramagoadi-Manaka, who he says treats him like a son, for reigniting his passion for the squared circle.
“I lost my amateur match by TKO in the third round. After that, I was scared to return to the ring. It wasn’t necessarily me. It’s just a different thing when your family is watching you. It makes it worse seeing the disappointment on their faces.
“The TKO taught me how to bounce back and reach further. I feel a lot more confident with Harry. When I first joined the gym, he took a liking to me. He’s been supportive ever since. His recipe is working for me. Everything he’s done for me is incredible,” he said.
Drawing inspiration from Rocky Balboa’s tenacity, Floyd Mayweather’s defensive masterclass and Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin’s footwork and ring-craft, he’s come a long way since that devastating loss.
His bout with Mhlungu was energy-sapping and stole the show, according to commentators. He told the paper the alterations Ramagoadi-Manaka made to his style have given him the confidence and tenacity to go for it in the ring.
“I’ve been working on my defence. I used to just go in and throw punches. Harry tells us that we are not boxers. We are thinkers. In the ring, we have to think all the time.”
Golding stated that he’s in need of more corporate sponsorship as his goal is to compete overseas.
“I’m sponsored by the bicycle merchant. I’m appealing to corporates to please help out. I want to become a world champion.”
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