Story by Mthokozisi Dube
FORMER Quelaton and Njube Sundowns football club midfielder, Arnold Sibanda is nurturing armature boxing talent through the Njube Boxing Academy founded in 2022.
The former footballer has traded his boots for boxing gloves after setting a boxing academy, which continues to churn top boxing talent.
Known as coach Yaya, Sibanda has passion to make a difference in society after imparting boxing skills for free to upcoming boxers.
The former soccer player chronicle how he transitioned from football to boxing coaching.
“ saw the need to make a difference n society. The journey has not been easy with both success and challenges. What has kept us moving is the available talent here in Njube. We have a lot of sport talent. We have managed to fulfil fixtures in tournaments but we believe with some corporate help we can surely produce big names in boxing from this academy,” he said.
His efforts have found takers after producing champions in various armature weight categories.
“Coach Yaya has been our inspiration. we have gone to participate in boxing tournaments and come up tops. However we still require assistance in boxing equipment,
“I want to turn pro in boxing. I started here under Coach Yaya. He also teaches us a lot about fighting the drug and substance abuse scourge,
“I am seven but have been to different tournaments. I want to be a well-known boxer from Njube.”
The academy which started in 2022 with only three boxers is now home to more than 30 budding boxers and has produced exceptional talent in Vanessa Khonje, Blessing Chiundo, Freeman Ngwenya and seven year old Ryan Sibanda, among other promising boxers.
