Future Champs prepare for Open Boxing event at sports science institute

Lonwabo Marele|Published 5 months ago

In August, Tina Solinzima and Ayabulela Ncwane faced off at the Site C taxi rank during a Women’s Day boxing session hosted by Future Champs, with renowned professional coach Zola Koti overseeing the event. The young female fighters expressed their desire to make a name for themselves in the sport. Picture: Lonwabo Marele

Amateur female boxers, Tina Solinzima and Ayabulela Ncwane will be the headlining acts for the Open Boxing Exhibition by Future Champs and the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), in Newlands, on Saturday morning, October 12.

Sanctioned by the SA Boxing Federation (SABOF), the event will showcase 10 action-packed bouts, with boxers coming from Future Champs in Philippi, Zantsi Boxing Gym in Langa, Grassroots Boxing in Makhaza and Save The Youth in Philippi.

On Women’s Day, August 9, Ncwane and Solinzima squared off in a boxing session organised by renowned boxing coach Zola Koti and Future Champs, at the Site C taxi rank.

The young Ncwane said the debut match in August was just the beginning to her amateur boxing story.

Organiser and founder of the Future Champs organisation, Jeremy Bean said the partnership is a significant step forward in community engagement and youth development, providing Future Champs coaches with advanced technical skills through a dedicated training programme developed at SSISA.

These skills, said Bean, not only enhance the athletic prowess of young boxers but also amplify the social impact of the programme.

“We are excited about the opportunities this partnership presents. Working with the Sport Science Institute allows us to elevate impact and, more importantly, our ability to better mentor these young athletes not just in boxing but in life,” he said.

Head of strategic partnerships at SSISA, Cleo Pokpas said the collaboration extends beyond their reach of academics and athletics, into the heart of Cape Town’s under-resourced communities.

“Through this strategic alliance, the institute is not just imparting technical skills; we are actively creating social cohesion. By uniting diverse demographics through the universal language of sport, we aim to foster unity, understanding, and mutual respect among the youth of Cape Town,” said Pokpas.

Weigh-in is at 10am with matches starting at 11.30am.

In 2011, Future Champs implemented a strategy to decrease violence among youth offenders at Pollsmoor. They achieved their mission but were losing the boxers to gang violence as soon as they left the prison. They then focused on community development for boxers and trainers.

In 2012, founder Jeremy Bean shifted Future Champs' strategy to focus on community development in response to local needs. Since then, the project has successfully assisted children in Cape Town’s communities, including Philippi and Khayelitsha.

In the centre, professional boxer Asavela Peter (3-1) is a standout prospect of the Future Champs project and a leading contender in the provincial and national light flyweight title categories. When he’s not in the ring, he can often be found serving as a referee at Open Boxing events. His promoter, Jeremy Bean, said the Matthew Goniwe matric pupil, Peter, has a Western Cape title fight lined up against Simamkele Finini, in November. Picture: Lonwabo Marele

Some of the boxers from Khayelitsha, Philippi, and neighbouring communities that celebrated Women’s Day at the Site C taxi rank in August, will be a part of the Future Champs and Sports Science Institute of SA Open Boxing event, in Newlands, on Saturday October 12. Picture: Lonwabo Marele