Making world champions, one boxer at a time

In accepting his Absa Jewish Achiever Arts, Sport, Science, and Culture Award, Colin Nathan said being there at the beginning of a boxer’s career and guiding them to becoming world champions is “something special” to him.

Under Nathan’s tutelage, Hekkie Budler transformed from an amateur boxing teenager into a professional boxer and multiple world champion. “Hekkie was a universal champion and rated by Ring magazine as the best in his category,” said boxing historian Rob Katz on the video about Nathan shown at the awards ceremony. “Now that’s a hell of an accomplishment.”

Budler himself describes Nathan not only as the best trainer and manager in the country, but probably in the world. “I trust Colin with my life. He has guided me in my boxing career to become a seven-time world champion. I’ve won more world titles than any South African in history.”

Nathan, whose dream of Budler becoming a legitimate two-weight world champion came true, started being fascinated by boxing when he was just two. “I had memories of my parents in the wee hours of the morning screaming at the television sets as Gerrie Coetzee was fighting overseas,” Nathan said.

Although Nathan became a television presenter after finishing matric in 1996, he didn’t see it as an occupation for the rest of his career, and started his boxing gym when he was 22.

Boxing promoter Larry Wainstein described Nathan’s work in the boxing industry as “absolutely par excellence. People don’t realise how good he is, not just at training fighters, which he is, but knowing the administration of boxing.”

Katz said Nathan possessed exceptional people skills. “He knows that for each boxer, each person has to be trained and managed differently. Colin is good at getting the best out of his boxers.”

Boxing manager Mike Altamura said, “What Colin is doing now, within the South African boxing community, to give young fighters opportunities with Boxing 5 promotions, that’s really what sets him apart from others.”

Boxing writer Tris Dixon said Nathan secured big fights as well as big television and promotional deals for his boxers. “He has built up a network of contacts, and he’s done it the hard way by investing in himself.”

In his acceptance speech, Nathan marvelled at how, 43 years after legendary boxing trainer Angelo Dundee motivated Sugar Ray Leonard to win the undisputed Welterweight Championship of the World title, he had motivated Phumelela “The Truth” Cafu to win the world champion title.

He recalled that on 16 September 1981, “It was clear that Thomas Hearns was building a sizeable lead on the judge’s score cards, which Leonard was losing, with his reputation and career hanging in the balance. Dundee, shrieked, ‘What are you, nuts? You’re fighting the man’s fight. I’m telling you, you’re blowing it, son.’ That was all Leonard had to hear. He came out galvanised in the 14th round, shifted gears, and stopped Hearns to win the Championship of the World.

“Fast forward to 14 October this year, an unheralded fighter from the dusty township streets of Duncan Village, East London, Cafu was challenging the esteemed four-division World Champion Kosei Tanaka in Japan.”

Using Cafu’s dream of buying his mother a house as motivation, Nathan inspired the 8/1 underdog to win by a split decision and become the latest credible world champion for South Africa.

Nicknamed “Nomakanjani” (No matter what), Nathan believes words can galvanise people. “Hashem has blessed me with the ability to change lives with positive vibes,” he says.