Vikings Boxing Club ready to conquer the West Rand

Since opening their branch in Krugersdorp in 2021, the Vikings Boxing Club has gone pound for pound, pulling no punches and consistently producing some outstanding talent in the boxing arena throughout the years.

They have no intention of stopping, as many young and hungry boxers continue to flex their talent and show what the West Rand is made of.

The club was established in the 1950s and has been a part of the West Rand community for many years, mainly operating in Witpoortjie. Since opening a branch at the Key West Action Sports Centre, they have grown tremendously.

Today, the club has many boxers who are from all walks of life, young and old, who use the sport for either self-defence, self-improvement or discipline. According to the head coach of the club, Phillip du Randt, the club has achieved a lot throughout the years.

“We have had numerous champions as a club and hit several milestones. The club has produced 25 provincial champions and 10 national champions. Most recently one of our boxers Juan Alberts turned professional and became the Gauteng Boxing Champion last year. Other boxers among our ranks also include Mike Pesler who recently competed in the Gauteng Champions and has among our best records in the ring winning four consecutive fights and is yet to taste defeat. Other notable boxers who have gone on to represent the club and achieve glory are Gerhard Botes, who was South African Champion, and Martin Jacobs who was a South African Lightweight Champion,” Phillip said.

In both the Roodepoort and Krugersdorp clubs combined, the club has over 100 full-time members. In addition to that in the various tournaments they compete in, they also have an impressive 60% win ratio.

The club is blessed to have several experienced coaches such as Willem Nel and Hendrik du Plooy alongside the club secretary Yolandi du Plooy who ensures that everything is in the right place in terms of admin. The club is affiliated with the Gauteng Boxing Union which is the provincial boxing body and the South African Boxing Union and the International Boxing Association.

Phillip also has a brilliant resume as he has over 44 years of experience in the boxing industry. He is a certified referee and judge who has served as president of the West Rand Boxing Association and team manager for the national boxing team. Boxing has been a part of Phillip’s life since the age of five and believes it is a code that can be used to overcome many adversities that life brings.

“I have had many great supporters and met wonderful people as a result of the sport, my advice to anyone who finds success in the sport is that they should never forget their roots once they hit big,” he concluded.