It’s refreshing to see old-school passion in young people.
No, I’m not big on the age thing, yes I do believe firmly in respect for your “elders” but to me, sometimes the wisest souls are found in biologically young minds.
And when it comes to boxing, to me, Matt Leisching has that old-school passion.
Since donning his first pair of gloves at the age of 13, the now only 29-year-old has fallen in love with this beautiful sport and has a mission to spread the love.
“I started boxing when I was 13-years-old in Jozi. I then moved to Cape Town when I was 18, developing myself into a decent trainer before opening MADfit MMA with Don Madge (South Africa's UFC star) in 2015.
“And now I’m here with my own gym and own fight promotion," says coach Matt.
Coach Matt, along with his partner Angelo Addinall, have started their own boxing promotion called the EFO (Elite Fighting Organisation).
“Myself and Angelo have been wanting to do this for a while but now that we are sponsored by Samson Rigging, EFO has become a reality," says Matt.
"The goal is to give local fighters more opportunities. Our aim is to take the EFO to a fully-pro fighting promotion. At the moment, the promotion will be focused on boxing, I have always had this idea of bare-knuckle boxing as it has exploded in the United States … so who knows.”
Coach Matt has been putting on boxing shows and white-collar boxing shows since 2015.
“Boxing is all I’ve ever done, I never had another job or profession. I hope to make a big difference to boxing in this country (South Africa) from pro fighters down to white-collar boxing.
"I am involved in Mixed Martial Arts and love the sport too. All fighting arts fascinate me, but boxing is my life,” he adds.
EFO will see some of the top and up-and-coming boxers showcase their talents, and the main card will see Wade Hammond against Darren Diaz.
“I have five fighters on the card. Everyone should also look out for Cameron Abrahams. A really talented youngster of mine,” Matt says.
The promotion will make its debut at the Portuguese Club in Milnerton on Saturday.
“The Portuguese Club is just the start. As the organization grows we will be moving to bigger venues,” adds Matt.
The event starts at 6pm. There will be 15 fights on the card. Entry fee is R200 at the door.
Influencer and actor, Siv Ngesi will be hosting the show.
Influencer and actor, Siv Ngesi will be hosting the show. Photo: Supplied
You can contact Matt on 072 888 0956 or Instagram @mattleisching and Twitter @mattleisching for more information.
@Julian Kiewietz
IOL Sport
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