Krugersdorp boxer one of SA’s very best
Jenovic Mbuyi is a two-time elite gold medalist winner at the South African Boxing Championships.
Bragging with his second gold medal at the South African Boxing Championships, Jenovic Mbuyi said the sport had taught him discipline, patience, and working hard for what you want.
The 20-year-old has been boxing for the past seven years and started at the Krugersdorp West Boxing Club. He then moved over to another club earlier this year.
Jenovic and his family hail from the Congo and came to South Africa for better opportunities when he was only three years old. He is one of three brothers and sadly they lost their youngest brother earlier this year – Ivan being only a few months old.
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When Jenovic was younger he loved to fight and would often fight with his brother. He went to Hoërskool Jan de Klerk and explained that he got into boxing because of his dad.
“My father did not like lazy children,” he said.
At first, he wanted the boys to do karate but when they joined the Krugersdorp West Boxing Club he was very excited and Jenovic said the sport helped him to control his anger.
When it comes to training he usually trains three to four times a week but when he prepared for the SA Championships he trained every day. Although he said he does not like the running part of the training, he does however love to spar with the other boxers.
In 2021, he won gold at the SA Championships, then bronze in 2022, and a gold medal again this year. He fights in the under 71kg class and fought three times during the championships.
He explained his first opponent was a big guy, but that he just looked into his eyes until he blinked to make sure that he could get into his opponent’s mind before the fight. In this fight, he won in the first round.
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On the second day, he knew it was going to be his hardest day. He wasn’t feeling well and his coach told him to just go and box. When the third round came around, Jenovic noticed that even while he was feeling down, he still had more energy than his opponent and that is when he knew he could win the fight. This fight went full rounds and once again Jenovic emerged victorious.
The last day made him very nervous because his opponent kept knocking out everyone he fought against. He knew this might not be a boxing match but a brawl, he managed to hit his opponent with a left hook and then a straight jab. That sent him to the corner and in the second round it was Jenovic’s arm that was lifted for the crowd.
“I felt great, I felt so proud,” he said.
One day Jenovic would like to box overseas and he hinted that if anyone would like to help him achieve that dream by sponsoring him, they are welcome.
“Society is very misleading. They tell people it is ok to be overweight or on drugs and so on. I do not agree. Being fit is important, it pushes your body to reach new limits. It teaches discipline,” he explained why he would recommend boxing to anyone.
He added that it has also given him a lot of exposure to a lot of things and that he has met the most beautiful, interesting, and supportive people on his boxing journey.
He would like to thank his family, his coach Donovan Dullisear, Dida Dipheko, and Antonio Adonis who trains him, pastor Remy of the Yahweh Shammah assembly and lastly he wants to thank God for all his gifts.
