Philippines, 10 Oct 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


NELSON MANDELA, THE BOXER WHO STOPPED APARTHEID


PhilBoxing.com




Former South African President Nelson Mandela, the world's famous anti-apartheid revolutionary was a boxer and started joining the sport of fist fighting in 1936 at the Fort Hare University. He was able to balance his study in Bachelor of Arts with Christian beliefs and Bible studies along side his interest in boxing.

He was also into long distance running and ballroom dancing. As a fitness buff, he spent his free time in the gym lifting some weights. When he studied law at the University of Whitwatersrand, he was the only native African student. He fought the overwhelming racism and blatant discrimination against his color. But for the anti-apartheid leader, his engagement to boxing is just to escape the hardships of fighting racism.

He wrote in his autobiography ?The Long Walk to Freedom?: "I did not enjoy the violence of boxing so much as the science of it. I was intrigued by how one moved one?s body to protect oneself, how one used a strategy both to attack and retreat, how one paced oneself over a match.

"Boxing is egalitarian. In the ring, rank, age, color, and wealth are irrelevant ... I never did any real fighting after I entered politics.

"My main interest was in training; I found the rigorous exercise to be an excellent outlet for tension and stress. After a strenuous workout, I felt both mentally and physically lighter. It was a way of losing myself in something that was not the struggle. After an evening?s workout I would wake up the next morning feeling strong and refreshed, ready to take up the fight again."

In 1962 Mandela was arrested and convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the white government, and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He served 27 years in prison, while his supporters lobbied untiringly for his release. His freedom was granted in 1990 in the thick of civil unrest in the country which gained international sympathy for the cause.

He negotiated with President F.W. de Klerk and apartheid was abolished. Elections were held in 1994, this time blacks were allowed to run and he led his African National Congress to victory becoming South Africa's first black President. He then formed the Government of National Unity to reduce racial conflicts and to unite his countrymen of all colors.

He used sports to bring together native Africans and Afrikaners. He let South Africa host the Rugby World Cup in 1995. John Carlin, author of the book "Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation," considered it as one of the finest moments in the world of sports.

The Soweto YMCA where Mandela used to train as a boxer is still open today and not much has been changed since the time he learned the basics of boxing. The great leader's love for boxing inspired a large number of poor men in South Africa to take up the superior sport and still use the same weights that Mandela used to lift.

At his trial Mandela uttered his now famous speech; ??I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

Nelson Mandela died at age 95 surrounded by his family on December 5 after years of suffering from health ailments. "He is now resting. He is now at peace," President Jacob Zuma announced. "Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father."

The sports world lost a great boxing enthusiast who knocked out apartheid and became his country's first black President by unanimous decision.

Like us on Facebook MASAM Sports


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • “Pitbull” Cruz Battles Skilled Lamont Roach Next!
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Eddie Hearn Warns: Dana White's Push to Amend Ali Act Could Hide Fighter Revenues and Undermine Boxer Protections
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • SEBASTIAN "EL TRUENO" JUAREZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • WBC No. 2 Cruiserweight Ryan Rozicki reinjured
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • DAVE ALLEN VS ARSLANBEK MAKHMUDOV SHEFFIELD PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • HANOI OPEN DAY TWO: CHUA, GORST, BIADO, SHAW AND DUONG CRUISE INTO LAST 64 IN HANOI
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • BOSTAN AND FAWAZ TRADE VERBAL BLOWS IN SHEFFIELD CITY CENTRE FACE-OFF AHEAD OF TITLE REMATCH – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Yoelvis Gomez Set to Face Unbeaten Antraveous Ingram in Title Clash on DAZN
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Dante Kirkman Set to Make Southern California Debut Against Power Puncher Wesley Vanderlinden on October 23 at Fight Club OC
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • 8th AQ Prime FIDE Standard Open chessfest slated
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • A Filipino and an American Homecoming
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • Tragedy Strikes Again: Arturo Gatti Jr., Son of Boxing Legend, Found Dead at 17 in Mexico
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • Golden State Making a Bid for NBA Title
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • JOHANN CHUA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT START IN HANOI | 2025 HANOI OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
    , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • RED-HOT CUBAN MIDDLEWEIGHT YOENLI HERNANDEZ: “I’M READY WILLING AND ABSOLUTELY ABLE TO FACE THE BIG NAMES IN MY DIVISION.”
    , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • BOOTS ENNIS GOES HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH LIMA AHEAD OF 154LB DEBUT – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • ALLEN AND MAKHMUDOV MEET FOR FIRST FACE-OFF IN SHEFFIELD AHEAD OF HUGE HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Amateur Boxer Tyrone Welch Dies After Match in Saginaw
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • AJ Lim Captures Fourth PCA Men’s Singles Title, Extends Dominance in Philippine Tennis
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 18: JOE FRAZIER VS. GEORGE FOREMAN FIRST ENCOUNTER - THE SUNSHINE SHOWDOWN
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • 5th Zhengxing Cup Philippine Xiangqi Rapid Open tournament on October 12
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Joey Canoy back in training; preparing to face IBF champ Beaven Sibanda in February
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • RED OWL BOXING ANNOUNCES BROADCAST TEAM AND FULL FIGHT CARD FOR THIS FRIDAY NIGHT’S “BOXFEST XVI”
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Tyson Fury back in 2026?
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 6 OCTOBER 2025: Cecilia Braekhaus Retires After Defeating Ema Kozin
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 07 Oct 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.