Phumelele Cele from Witpoortjie Vikings Amateur Boxing Club competed in the South African Elite tournament recently. The tournament took place in the Eastern Cape and a number of top talented young boxers were invited.
Phumelele, who has been impressive on the West Rand, had a difficult time in the preliminary round of the tournament and was knocked out. He was disappointed at not winning his weight division but is still confident that he will do better next year.
“I feel good about being part of a competition such as the SA Elite even though I did not get too far. I did the best I could on the day and I’ve gained a lot of experience through the process.
“I have now seen what to expect from such a competition and am confident that with more hard work and training, I will do much better than this year,” he said.
Despite his loss, his talent still managed to impress selectors from the Super Boxing League (SBL). He was chosen as a reserve member of the team and will be one of Gauteng’s representatives. The league sees talented provincial boxers compete and will include all the country’s provinces. The league will also be a way for Phumelele to get himself ready for his club’s tournament next month. The tournament will have boxers from all over the province competing for top honours.
