Rajuili boxes for third in SA

Ballito’s professional boxer, David Rajuili heads to Pretoria this week where he will go toe-to-toe with Sibusisio Zimgange.

Should Rajuili overcome Zimgange on his home turf, he will replace him as the number three ranked junior lightweight boxer in South Africa.

Organisers have nicknamed Rajuili “The Darling of Durban” and his six round bout is the main fight out of 10 on Wednesday, June 3.

Currently ranked fifth in South Africa, Rajauili was meant to fight fourth-ranked Sanele Msimang, but that fight was cancelled when Msimang hurt his leg.

“This is a big stepping stone for David but he is ready for the fight and if he listens to me and remains focused, he will win,” said coach Hardy Mileham from the Ringside Boxing Gym.

Both fighters are slow starters and Zimgange has a strong left hook. Mileham said Rajuili will warm up in the change room so that it is as if he enters the ring after four rounds of fighting.

“In the first two rounds, David will work the body punches because if you kill the body, the head dies,” said Mileham.

In rounds three and four Rajuili plans to bombard Zimgange with hard, effective punches to hurt his head and body so that he respects Rajuili, while in rounds five and six, he plans to attack with speed because in boxing, speed kills.

Mileham believes it will be a hard fight because Zimgange has been number three for a while and he is not there for nothing.

People outside the boxing fraternity may not be familiar with the work that goes into fight preparation. Ten weeks before the fight, Rajuili began intense fight preparation, involving a lot of road running, power training, bag work and sparring, as well as mental training and a strict nutritional programme.

In the first four weeks Rajuili focused on fitness drills, doing road work and drills in the gym. He joined the Salt running group and done a lot of 10km runs with them.

“You run as if you are training for a half marathon,” said Rajuili.

He typically runs Ballito’s Townsend Park’s “1000 stairs” six to eight times in one training session.

The last three weeks were reserved for sparring, rounds of boxing, hand pads and mental work.

“If the mind is not ready, you are not a complete fighter,” said Rajuili.

Rajuili was spotted running down Ballito Drive last week at 2pm, in 30 degrees Celcius heat, dressed in full winter attire, including a beanie. He said the “torturous” technique was to help with the last bit of weight-loss.

The popular fighter’s local supporters have bought 19 ringside tickets to support him at Presley’s in Pretoria and will be there for every punch.