Tough Love

As a young boy growing up in extreme poverty in northern Limpopo, the cards were stacked against Lovemore Ndou and he quickly learnt to use his fists to defend himself. He experienced apartheid brutality first-hand when his arm was broken during a police beating in the 1980s and his best friend was gunned down next to him in a protest march.But Lovemore had a dream, and boxing lessons at the gym of a local copper mine introduced him to the world of boxing. Soon after he set off for Johannesburg where he was exposed to the hard truths of the boxing world, like unscrupulous promoters. Through sheer determination he managed to stay afloat and, entering the ring as the 'Black Panther', he soon started winning fights.After he accepted an offer to box in Australia in the late 1990s, this Venda warrior began to make a name for himself internationally, at one point acting as the main sparring partner for Floyd Mayweather.Driven by a hunger to succeed, Lovemore overcame many setbacks to become a three-time world champion. He was still boxing professionally when he started studying law and today he has his own successful practice in Sydney, Australia.Boxing fan or not, this extraordinary life story is bound to knock you out.