WATCH: The Gilmore story – celebrating 50 years

Faith has been one of Anton Gilmore’s biggest assets in life.

He is a great believer in what he has received and has phased it out in his life to be the stepping stone from where he inspired those around him.

He received a wonderful talent in boxing, both as boxer and trainer, to fulfil his dreams of becoming the person he is today.

Anton Gilmore, from Box Office at the Southern Suburbs Recreation Centre, who is one of the most recognised sport persons in the South and the world of boxing in South Africa, will turn 50 on November 28.

Champs in the making

“It is what you make of life and not what life makes of you,” is often the expression that Anton uses to inspire friends, family and most of all his boxing family.

Apart from being a champion boxer, he has produced many champions in the amateur and professional ranks and always has a “work-in-process” champion boxer in his stable.

But where did his life start and how did the 50 years of the Anton Gilmore unfold?

Ewart James and Agnes Mary Gilmore welcomed their son, Anton, into the world in Hillbrow Hospital on November 28, 1970, at 6am. The family lived in Bellevue East, Johannesburg. Agnes could not look after him, so Linda (his sister) stepped in to take care of him.

Gilmore and his sister were adopted by Ken and Soulie Nordin, now 83. They also adopted two other children later in life.

In 1982 Linda met Joe Fernandes and got married. Less than a month later, Linda applied to adopt her brother.
Gilmore received his schooling at St Martin’s, where he had many sporting opportunities and in matric he received university exemption. During his school years, he joined Southern Suburbs boxing Club which formed a basis for him in his amateur boxing days.

Richard Smith was destined to become his coach and guide in life. With mentors like Fernandes and Smith in his life he couldn’t go wrong. Fernandes ensured he attended every boxing session. Six months later, Gilmore had his first fight against Nel from Cottesloe.

“Fighting is heart-wrenching and you are on your own in the ring,” said Gilmore.

A future as a boxer

From there on the only way for Gilmore was forward.

He achieved five Southern Transvaal titles and three South African championship titles. Fernandes was amazed by how a naughty boy could reform through boxing.

He went to the police for national service and became police college champion, Springbok trails champion, SA champion, Two Thirds Trials champ and then SA Open champ again.

He defended his title successfully and in 15 fights in one year he only had one loss, with 10 KOs.
At 20 years of age he turned professional.

Rodney Berman became his promoter for the years that followed. He recorded five wins and in his sixth fight against Harold Wales, he was sent to the canvas twice. The judges called the fight a draw as he fought his way back from going down in the second round of the fight.

He fought Wilson Dockerty in his ninth fight, who was the European champion and Scottish champ for six years, and he went on to win the fight. The next was the silver medalist at the Olympics and Irish Champ Conn McMullan and he made no scruples, winning it as well.

In his 19th fight, Gilmore took on Tony Wehbee, The Australian featherweight champion and World Boxing Federation junior featherweight world champion.

A boxing lesson was delivered as none by Gilmore. After that he fought David Africa, the Free State champion and won with a second-round KO.

He was then matched against Neill Swain, Commonwealth champion, but Anton outclassed him and was nominated for fight of the year.

Gilmore then got his big break in 1996 to fight John Lowey in Pennsylvania.

Lowey pulls out of the fight at the last minute and a 10-day replacement, Max Gomes, the best he ever faced, steps up. He boasted 246 amateur fights and a brilliant counter puncher. He schools Gilmore who was brave, but unprepared against his nemesis, a smaller fighter.

“In my next two fights that I won I went from earning quite a lot for the world title to about nothing. I hung up my gloves after the Matiti fight,” said Gilmore.

In the meantime, his trainer, Smith, was killed outside his house in Kibler Park. Jimmy Muir became his new coach and they were offered a fight against Cassius Baloyi.

“No training for seven months and 8kg to lose, the fight was on and I had to fight the legend Baloyi.

“On fight day I did 10 rounds of pads before the fight started. I always liked to be super warm before any fight starts.

“After a few rounds during the fight, I sensed Cassius’s legs were tired, but he persevered, through his trainer Nick Durandt, who motivated him from the corner. In the 10th I dropped the bomb. A left hook that took Cassius down.
“But Cassius won the fight and I accepted the defeat. The first fight between two South Africans for the world title ended in controversy. I moved on and was promised more title fights. As they were cancelled I decided to call it a day.”

Passion for community

Gilmore and Fernandes started a garage paint business and developed it into a three-shop business in Turffontein.
“After three years I sold my shares in the business and became a trainer at the Box Office.”

He met his wife, Karen, and Tyla was born in 2003. Aidan, his son, was born in 2007 with a disease called tuberous sclerosis.

Gilmore, as a trainer, has over the years produced many amateur and professional champions. His ventures over the years also include Fight for Insight.

During the pandemic, he cleaned the streets of the South, racking up 1 500 man hours rehabilitating the streets. They worked with Jeff and Marie Ellis, and the legendary Eric and Paulina Houniet, who selflessly supported and worked with them in Walking Tall with Pride. They provided food for 25 000 people over three years with Walking Tall with Pride.

The boy from a troubled background became a man through boxing and serving other people to the best of his ability.

“I can only say it was because the people of the South gave me a chance to become something.”