One the most colorful and flamboyant boxing personalities to ever come out of South Africa was the late Nick Durandt.
On the outside he was a loud, strong and outspoken man, heavily tattooed and wearing an abundance of gold chains with long, flowing blond hair but on the inside he was a fantastic guy – down to earth, humble and a pleasure to work with.
Nick was an outstanding trainer with a long list of world champions and South African champions under his belt. He sadly passed away last year in a motor bike accident and a big void was left in South African boxing.
However, the Durandt name in boxing was not to be left quiet for long as a new exciting and highly competent trainer arrived on the scene. Nick’s son Damian decided to carry on the work of his late father.
Damian has proved as a young man that he is no slouch as a trainer and in fact is making a huge name for himself with success in this field.
Friday night the WBF has a highly anticipated Intercontinental Super Welterweight title fight which features Damian’s charge, unbeaten Emmeny Kalombo, 8-0 with 8 KO’s, taking on the wily veteran and former WBF world title challenger Nkululeko Mhlongo in the main fight of an outstanding bill put together by André Thysse of Real Steel Promotions.
Mhlongo, 16-4 with 12 KO’s, starts as favorite against the less experienced Kalombo, but as Damian put it at the press conference “The bulldog’s time is up, and he will be lying flat on the ground before the 10th round.”
On the same bill the WBF International flyweight title is on the line between former Olympian Jackson Chauke, 14-1 with 10 KO’s, against Sihle Jelwana, 8-3 with 6 KO’s.
Irrespective of the results on Friday night, it is great for South African boxing to have young Damian Durandt carrying the torch for Nick – who from the stars above is looking down with great pride at his son’s work.
Until next time, keep boxing.
Howard Goldberg
PRESIDENT: World Boxing Federation
