KUCHING: Boxing coach Fred Mandangi has not been in the Sarawak set-up since 2018 but he has a plan.
As his contract ended, he had the opportunity to take his coaching to the next level.
With the network of athletes he has trained and coaches he has befriended throughout his 30-plus-year tenure, his experience is unmatched.
He is on the lookout for a quintessential fighter who he will train to become a champion.
“I will train that person who has the heart and dream to become the best,” said Fred, while expressing how much talent Sarawakians have in boxing.
“I’ve trained alongside Sapok Biki, the 1998 SEA Games champion, and I know how far Sarawakian boxers can go…if only they are allowed to fight in the right arena.”
What makes a good boxer?
“Size doesn’t matter…whether you’re big or small is not a factor when it comes to boxing. As long as you are willing to put in the time to train, have the discipline to follow my training routine, the ambition and desire to be a champion…then that is all I need to see in a person,” Fred explained, adding that money isn’t the main concern for him to train someone.
“As long as that person has that goal and determination, I will give him or her the training that they need.”
I want to box but I don’t have the money
“At Knox 13 Boxing Club, we share the same gym with Sting Muaythai Club. Here we conduct boxing lessons on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 8pm onwards, every week. We accept students from as young as six years old and membership is only RM100.
“I have one student who at the end of last month didn’t come for training. I reached out to him and he told me that he couldn’t pay for the fees any longer because he hasn’t found a job yet.
“I told him to come back because his job is to train with me and his team and if money is the problem, we can sort that out but when it comes to training, it must follow a daily routine.
“So is the kid undergoing his training? Yes. Is he paying? Yes, with the help of Knox Club 13 committee members. The thing is, our club is a fraternity of fighters…we are not a business…but boxing is our business, so if we agree on cases with issues such as this kid—a passionate fighter, driven to excel yet face some financial difficulty—we KO the problem and continue with the mission.”
Training as a lifestyle
“Currently, we have three fighters who are training for a competition which will be coming up soon. Once we have conditioned them to the ideal form—strength, stamina, techniques—then comes the next stage, signing them up.
“This will be our main modus operandi. The ultimate goal is to let people know about Knox Club 13 Boxing Club and to have more people come train with us.
“If people don’t come and train, we will never know what potential lies within them.”
Fred’s current involvement and vision in boxing go beyond the Sukma (Malaysia Games). He knows how a boxer can grow and start a career.
When asked how would we know that boxing is a sport for Sarawakians? He replied: “No one has defeated Sapok Biki and reputation is something we should work on to grow the boxing culture in Sarawak.”
For more information, visit facebook.com/knoxboxing or call 013-8279911.
*To learn more about Fred, read Part One of this exclusive series.
