An unsung boxing mentor of both amateur and professional boxers, Spider Moeketsi (72), continues to live the dream to unearth champions. This has become a reality having thus far guided two boxers from his town of Kroonstad to boxing glory.
Moeketsi guided two of the finest boxers, Tello Dithebe and Matshediso Mokebesi, a female boxer, to win continental championships in their respective categories.
Mokebesi (30) has many prestigious crowns under her belt of which the African Boxing Union’s South African Junior Featherweight and South African and World Boxing Federation (WBF) junior featherweight.
She is the first-ever Free State (FS) female to have won titles in the different divisions. Top-seeded FS female boxer Mokebesi is also ranked top in South Africa and in Africa.
Moeketsi, a former boxer who blazed the boxing ring from 1960 to 1970, discovered the shining star at a gym housed in a dilapidated building at the old shopping centre in the Maokeng township. He mentored and guided her to the big league.
The gym was in 2014 renamed to the Kid Spider Boxing Club honouring the legendary boxer’s immense contribution to the sport.
Previously the club was known as the Armstrong Boxing Club since its formation in 1950 by Marks Morgan, who later left Kroonstad to settle in the Bloemfontein.
The father-figure trainer also guided male boxer Dithebe to win a prestigious continental title. Dithebe, nicknamed Razor, has been the reigning champion of the African International Boxing Federation since 2017.
Bra Spider, as Moeketsi is known in the boxing community, keeps the fire burning, unearthing the finest boxers.
“I’m busy mentoring another jewel from Kroonstad and will soon unleash this boy. I’m hopeful he will go places. I take it one step at a time with him.
“Having already produced continental champions, my dream is to have a world champion – especially from Kroonstad,” said Moeketsi.
Mokebesi has since parted with Moeketsi, who have Dithebe in the stable as a motivator to upcoming boxers.
–news24.com
