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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
LEGENDARY boxing trainer Philip ‘Striker’ Ndlovu has died.

He was 66.

Ndlovu succumbed to prostate cancer at his Ejingeni Flat in Makokoba suburb, Bulawayo, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

His niece Sikhangezile Ndlovu confirmed Striker’s death, saying the boxing coach’s condition had rapidly deteriorated after a nasty fall at home on Tuesday.

“Ukhulu (Striker) has passed away. He died at home in Makokoba this morning (yesterday). The day before yesterday (Tuesday), he fell and slammed his head against the floor and was rushed to hospital where he was attended to and released. Yesterday (Wednesday) his condition rapidly deteriorated and he was failing to eat on his own,” said Sikhangezile.

“It was highly usual because even when he was in great pain during his illness, he always ate on his own. But my uncle is at rest now because he was in so much pain and had suffered a lot.”

Ndlovu suffered from stage five prostate cancer and the only form of medication he was on were pain killers just to ease the pain.

The former Tshaka Youth Centre resident trainer was first diagnosed with prostate cancer at the beginning of 2020 and his condition soon deteriorated, leaving him bedridden after he failed to raise US$3 000 required for a trans-urethral resection of the prostate (Turp), an operation to remove parts of the prostate pressing on the urethra, making it hard to pass urine.

In his prime, Ndlovu tapped and trained a number of boxers from Bulawayo, who include former World Boxing Association Pan African heavyweight champion Thamsanqa Dube and ex-World Boxing Federation Africa heavyweight title holder Elvis ‘Bulawayo Bomber’ Moyo.

Moyo is now based in South Africa where he also dabbles in American mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Ndlovu was an influential figure in Zimbabwean boxing circles in the past 30 years who helped churn out top boxers from Tshaka Youth Centre such as former champions Jabulani Gombiro, Nokuthula Tshabangu, Ambrose Mlilo, Sipho Moyo, Fredrick Chisoro and Modercai Donga.

The soft-spoken trainer was a popular figure in Makokoba and commanded respect for his voluntary work, not only as a boxing coach, but also as an active member of the community.

He would always be at Tshaka Youth Centre between 5.30AM and 8AM every day to train the early birds before returning for evening sessions from 4PM to 7PM. He had also introduced lunchtime training sessions from midday up to 2PM.

All he lived for was boxing, a sport he loved till his death.

At the time of his death, he had missed at least 10 dialysis sessions because he had failed to raise US$1 000 for a permanent catheter. A few friends and boxers he trained had raised about half of the required amount.

Mourners are gathered at 42051/5 Ejingeni Flats in Makokoba. – @ZililoR