From maize bag to Coach: Training boxers is Vusi Jokazi’s catnip

Vusi Jokazi’s first, homemade, punching bag was an Iwisa maize meal bag filled with sand, which didn’t stop him from reaching his childhood dream of working in the sports industry.

The 39-year-old was born in Groblersdal, Limpopo to a Mopedi mother and Xhosa father and he moved to Pretoria in his teens.

“My uncle, Peter Jokazi, introduced me to boxing. He first wanted me to do karate, but I didn’t like the kicks. I like a ‘gentleman’s sport’, like boxing. It’s more technical,” he said.

Jokazi’s uncle took him to the gym and bought him his first punching bag at the age of 12.

After he had punched the maize meal bag “until it broke … my uncle told me I was strong enough and bought me the first punching bag,” he said.

Jokazi said he loved how boxing made everything feel better and added a jab was his favourite punch. Jokazi has been a national boxing coach associated with the South African National Boxing Association, green and gold level, for the past 10 years.

He trained former Springbok rugby star Victor Matfield, comedian Tol Ass Mo and celebrity boxer Angelique Gerber for the BoxOp series and mixed martial artist Dricus du Plessis.

“I am living my dream. I feel blessed and fortunate. I grew up with a family working in civil engineering and construction. When I said I wanted to do something sports-related, they said I must do something real. Sport to them is a hobby, but for me, sport is my life,” he said.

“When you exercise you feel better. I would encourage anyone to do a sport. It’s good for your body and your mind,” he added.

When Jokazi is not boxing or watching boxing, he enjoys soccer, supporting Mamelodi Sundowns and Chelsea.

Jokazi said he is not scared of anything except cats.

“I don’t know why but it has been like that since I can remember. When I see a domestic cat, I want to run. I am not scared of wild cats but if I hear a cat meow, I am gone,” he said.

Jokazi said growing up he remembered a group of boys setting up traps to catch street cats.

“One day, they caught a cat. That cat was violent. I think it was since that day. That cat even bit the dogs,” he said.

Jokazi lives in Waverley with his “queen and three princesses” and his husky – called Husky.

He said being the only male in the house with his wife and three daughters is beneficial: “I get special treatment.”

Jokazi said his first child has shown an interest in tennis and has been attending classes to develop her interest in the sport.

“I do encourage them to box. It’s good for them and self-defence,” he said.

His wife inspired him to further his studies, which sent him in the direction of law: “I want to help athletes with their contracts,” he said.

When Jokazi isn’t training clients or exercising, he plays virtual sports on his PlayStation.

“I am a sportsman, what can I say? I play either UFC or Fifa.”

Jokazi said training people is his life and he wakes up as early as 4am to see those clients who only have time in the early hours of the morning to train.

He opens the boxing club at 5.30am and said when he closes at 7.30pm, he can’t wait to get home especially if he’s getting his favourite meal, fish with mushrooms, greens and beetroot.

Jokazi admits he can’t resist a carrot cake: “[That] I don’t share. I always share, but I don’t share a carrot cake,” he said.

Jokazi tries his best to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“I believe you are what you eat. But I try not to be a trainer at my house when I have to be a husband,” he said.

“But I do advise them on the disadvantages of eating unhealthily.”

Jokazi said he is inspired by people who do the impossible.

“Everyone who has overcome challenges, when they do what they were told they couldn’t do and they do it, that inspires me,” he said.

Jokazi said his favourite boxer so far was Floyd Mayweather.

“Mayweather is my man. When I got into boxing he was still called ‘Pretty Boy’, he changed the game of boxing into a sport. Not everyone understood boxing was a sport,” he said.

His favourite pound-for-pound all-rounder, though, was Gennady Golovkin, also known as GGG or Triple G.

“If God had blessed me with his chin… That man can take a punch and he can give it. That’s what life is about,” he said.

“As Mike Tyson said, everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face,” he said.