Boksburg martial artist wins first pro fight
Godfrey Mkhwanazi has put Boksburg on the map by qualifying to be a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter.
While Nhlakanipho Zulu grabbed all the headlines after EFC 111, Boksburg martial artist Godfrey Mkhwanazi went about his business quietly fighting on the undercard of that event on March 7 at the EFC Performance Institute in Sandton.
Mkhwanazi defeated Ghanian Charles Lamptey with a first-round TKO in their catch-weight division for his first win in the pro ranks.
Affectionately known as Feral Spunky, Mkhwanazi landed several strikes to Lamptey that forced the referee to stop the fight 04:20 into the round.
He trained by himself between 2019 and 2021 and later found a coach and mentor in Ndumiso Mashaba.
Mashaba was, however, a victim of the Plantation gas tanker explosion in 2022, and after his death, Mkhwanazi started training with Ferdinand Basson, Billy Oosthuizen and Charl van Tonder.
“Ndumiso contributed to making me the fighter I am today, and I want to one day compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) to honour him,” Mkhwanazisaid.
He explained that in 2020, he took part in his first MMA amateur competition and then, two years later, won a bronze medal.
The following year, he came third in his weight division at the National Championships.
After 22 fights, Mkhwanazi finally made it as an MMA professional.
“Success to me means setting a goal and achieving it. I started without a gym membership, coach or equipment. I was dream-driven, and everything else fell into place,” said Mkhwanazi.
At first, he encountered financial difficulties during his amateur run that made him unable to prepare correctly, follow a strict diet or afford coaching.
Mkhwanazi had to catch up on a lot to overcome starting the sport ‘late’ in his life.
He intends to make a name for himself and approach international promotion companies.
Mkhwanazi said he believes SA has what it takes to compete with the best nations but should look into exposure.
Talking to the Boksburg Advertiser, Mkhwanazi said: “A magician never reveals the secrets to his magic tricks”, but he invites anyone interested in seeing him train to visit Godfather MMA gym.
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