South Africa bids farewell to Nick Durandt, coach of 38 world boxing champs

Johannesburg, May 6 (IANS) Students, admirers, family and friends bid their final farewell to legendary South African boxing coach and promoter Nick Durandt, who managed 38 world champions.

Durandt died last month at the age of 53 in a motorcycle accident in the town of Clarens in South Africa's Free State province, reports Efe.

Friends from the Crusaders motorcycle club, of which he was the president, as well as personalities from the South African boxing world honoured him on Friday in church of Our Lady Of Lebanon in Mulbarton, southern Johannesburg, where his funeral was held.

The South African presidency and the World Boxing Council lamented his death and acknowledged his enormous contribution to the sport, both in South Africa and internationally.

Among his pupils, who became world champions are three-time champion of South Africa and the world, Thulani 'Sugar Boy' Malinga, Jeffrey Mathebula and Malcolm Klassen.

Durandt was born in 1963 in Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom and moved to South Africa with his father, who was a player for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic in the English Premier League.

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