Tony Green Hall Boxing Club student Thabang Makofane left the country on June 19 to test his skills in Mauritius thanks to impressive recent showings in the squared circle.
The Ramaphosa informal settlement amateur pugilist, who boxes in the 56kg division, participated in a tournament which ran from June 21 to 23.
The tournament forms part of preparations for the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
Makofane (22), who’s also the Gauteng champion, won his title when he picked up the ‘W’ in Pretoria earlier this year, before receiving bronze at the Zone 4 Championships in Botswana.
His bout in Botswana was also voted as the best bout of the card.
But it was last year when he burst onto the scene, losing in the semi-finals in a tournament in Secunda before losing in the same stage during trials in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
“I’ve always wanted to fly, I thought I was going to fly when I went to Botswana, but it wasn’t to be, so I’m really excited.
“I want to thank the Boksburg community for supporting me, my family for always being there for me and my coaches, Piet van Vuuren and Mark Druyer, for their constant support.”
Van Vuuren, who has trained Makofane since he was nine years old, added: “This is a great achievement, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, what you put in is what you get out. You can only train someone who is willing to train and this is a sign of Gilbert’s dedication.”
Follow us:
