Booysen honours boxing mentor with victory

• Published date: 24 April 2024
• Author: Lonwabo Marele lonwabo.marele@acm.co.za
• Publication title: Plainsman

Last Friday night, Booysen won his second professional fight. This one, however, was extra special for him as the event was held in honour of Marshall, a world-renowned boxing official who passed away in January

“The build-up to this fight was very emotional, it was in honour of Mr Marshall, a guy that saved my life. He introduced me to the sport of boxing and I never looked back again. I was a broken boy from Mitchell’s Plain. He found me and he saw potential in me. At the age of 35 I am still doing this,” said Booysen.

The boxing special, coordinated by Jackie Brice Boxing Promotions, at the Vibrant Sports Studio, in Ottery, last Friday, April 19, ignited a passion inside of Booysen.

He beat Shamzi Mnala, from Tanzania, on points, to make it two out of two in his professional tally.

A couple of years ago, however, this could have all just faded away in thin air.

“I had a very bad temper problem. I would always get into fights. I would always be the one to start the fight wherever we went. One of my friends, (the late) Rufus Richards, took me to Mr Marshall. Rufus said, ‘Branton, listen, I know you can fight, I know you want to protect us all, but come with me one day to boxing.’ I said, ‘okay, cool, let’s go boxing’,” said Booysen.

Richards was a former national amateur boxing champion at the time and he perhaps saw a spark in his friend that nobody saw, except for Mr Marshall.

“I have my own gym and my own business and what I do, I give back to the community. I am so grateful to be in the position that I am because I get to do this. I am chasing my dreams and living my best life. It is about inspiring my children and my people...