Nothing could dissuade Nomvelo Shezi from becoming a boxer.
Even several attempts by her uncle, former KwaZulu-Natal heavyweight champion Alex Mchunu, did not work. He even matched her with male amateur boxers and still did not succeed.
Shezi, who grew up at Mchunu’s household in KwaXimba, went on to win a gold medal at the SA Games in Pretoria and it was then that Mchunu took her seriously.
The boxer did not succeed in her two attempts to become a South African junior featherweight champion but has made a mark as a boxing promoter since 2018.
Trading under Mvelo Boxing Promotion (MBP), her devotion and objectives won her 2023 Boxing SA's Most Promising Promoter of the Year award.
She gives credit to her husband, Mongameli Shezi, for his unwavering support. They got married in 2016 and have two boys.
“For him to support me; he had to learn the sport,” said Shezi, who began training from the age of four. “My uncle would chase me away. I came back to the gym when I was seven years old.”
Shezi lost to Gabisile Tshabalala and also to Nomampondomise Xotyeni in national championship bouts.
“I lost the fight to Gabisile outside the ring,” said Shezi. “Against Nomampondomise I was so under-weight limit that I ate a full meal before jumping on the scale at the official weigh-in.
“I was ahead on points but she was hurting me with every punch due to weight advantage. So I just decided to give up in round seven.”
She said she has made up for those losses by achieving a lot as a promoter.
“My goal has been fulfilled,” said the promoter who staged two international tournaments featuring top boxers – Moruti Mthalane and Thabiso – who had not been given opportunities to fight at home in KwaZulu-Natal in a long time,” he said.
“Starting boxing from an early age helped me to learn about the sport generally,” adds the secretary of the KwaZulu-Natal Boxing Promoters Federation. "I know how it feels to go to gym every day with no promise of a fight.”
Shezi said she did not reach her potential as a fighter due to scarcity of opportunities.
“It is not easy when you don’t have a promoter dedicated to you. I remember training for almost two years without a fight and that is actually when I decided to quit and become a promoter,” she said.
Shezi makes a mark as award-winning promoter
Ex-boxer credits husbby for support
Image: Supplied
Nothing could dissuade Nomvelo Shezi from becoming a boxer.
Even several attempts by her uncle, former KwaZulu-Natal heavyweight champion Alex Mchunu, did not work. He even matched her with male amateur boxers and still did not succeed.
Shezi, who grew up at Mchunu’s household in KwaXimba, went on to win a gold medal at the SA Games in Pretoria and it was then that Mchunu took her seriously.
The boxer did not succeed in her two attempts to become a South African junior featherweight champion but has made a mark as a boxing promoter since 2018.
Trading under Mvelo Boxing Promotion (MBP), her devotion and objectives won her 2023 Boxing SA's Most Promising Promoter of the Year award.
She gives credit to her husband, Mongameli Shezi, for his unwavering support. They got married in 2016 and have two boys.
“For him to support me; he had to learn the sport,” said Shezi, who began training from the age of four. “My uncle would chase me away. I came back to the gym when I was seven years old.”
Shezi lost to Gabisile Tshabalala and also to Nomampondomise Xotyeni in national championship bouts.
“I lost the fight to Gabisile outside the ring,” said Shezi. “Against Nomampondomise I was so under-weight limit that I ate a full meal before jumping on the scale at the official weigh-in.
“I was ahead on points but she was hurting me with every punch due to weight advantage. So I just decided to give up in round seven.”
She said she has made up for those losses by achieving a lot as a promoter.
“My goal has been fulfilled,” said the promoter who staged two international tournaments featuring top boxers – Moruti Mthalane and Thabiso – who had not been given opportunities to fight at home in KwaZulu-Natal in a long time,” he said.
“Starting boxing from an early age helped me to learn about the sport generally,” adds the secretary of the KwaZulu-Natal Boxing Promoters Federation. "I know how it feels to go to gym every day with no promise of a fight.”
Shezi said she did not reach her potential as a fighter due to scarcity of opportunities.
“It is not easy when you don’t have a promoter dedicated to you. I remember training for almost two years without a fight and that is actually when I decided to quit and become a promoter,” she said.
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