Celebrities stepping into the ring has become a regular feature in the world of boxing with actors, musicians and politicians putting their fighting skills to the test, often for a good cause.
While the concept might have once seemed unusual, it is now widely accepted and helps bring new eyes to the sport.
This trend comes to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on Sunday September 29 when TV actors Mlamli Mangcala and Mbulelo Grootboom face off in a boxing exchange.
The boxing event will also include 10 white-collar bouts as part of the build-up to the main celebrity fight.
The CTICC will be a hive of boxing activity that weekend as a separate boxing event, promoted by Jackie Brice, will take place a day earlier, on Saturday September 28.
Mangcala, best known for his roles in South African television, including the series The Queen, is the driving force behind this celebrity boxing event.
While many celebrity fights pretend there is some beef to settle between the stars, the idea for this event comes from Mangcala’s passion for mental health advocacy.
His Mlamli Mangcala Foundation focuses on raising awareness about mental health, standing against gender-based violence (GBV), and providing medical interventions for children.
Mangcala sees this boxing match as a creative way to bring attention to these important issues.
“Due to a lack of financial resources, we’ve developed new avenues to support our initiative,” Mangcala said.
By partnering with the CTICC, he hopes to make this celebrity boxing match an annual event, turning it into a highlight on Cape Town’s sporting calendar while raising funds for causes close to his heart.
His opponent, Mbulelo Grootboom, who has starred in White Wedding and Zbondiwe, also gets the opportunity to show a different side of himself.
