At 36 I weighed 59kg, addicted, alone, and destroying my life — then kickboxing changed everything
I started kickboxing at 36, which might seem like a small accomplishment, but for me, it’s huge. Not only did I take up a fighting sport, but I also completely changed my lifestyle. I haven’t always lived the straight and narrow. From my early teens, I struggled with addiction—I started smoking weed at 13, and by 16, I was using cocaine. Back then, it was cheap, so I dropped out of school and worked just to support my habits. This kicked off a 20-year battle with addiction—being a functional addict and alcoholic, ruining every opportunity I had.
I got married and had two children—my eldest in 2018, and my youngest in 2024. They became my greatest motivation. Throughout high school, I never managed to get my weight above 60 kg. I tried countless times to change, but couldn’t. After cocaine, I moved on to kat (methcathinone)—the poor man’s coke. And when that faded, methamphetamine, or tik, took over. At 36, I was 59 to 62 kg—skin and bone—barely sleeping, maybe 20 to 30 hours a week. I stayed awake 120 hours straight, always chasing the next fix.
In April 2025, my mother took my wife and kids away—that was the final breaking point. For four months, I cut out the toxic influences, and then I started at Radja Kickboxing Club. I began on a Tuesday and quit my last hit on that Monday. They threw me in at the deep end—I attended Tuesday and Thursday practice and was told I’d fight in the club champs that Saturday. I was a total newbie, fighting with zero experience or fitness. I got crushed, but it didn’t stop me. Two months later, I fought in RCFA’s Jungle War XIII. I wasn’t at my peak yet, but I gained nearly 20 kg, weighing in at 79.8 kg. I didn’t win, but I made it through all my fights, despite my first two ending in a TKO and weeks of rib pain.
After Jungle War, I kept training. In November, I entered a smaller event and won two gold medals in separate categories. That success kept building—I won both modes at last weekend’s club champs. Those wins put me on track for the provisional trials in June. If I place in the top two, I’ll qualify for the South African national trials, with a shot at earning my Springbok colors. But for now, all my focus is on the World Championships from April 3rd to 5th. I train six days a week, two to three hours a day, keeping my weight steady—I don’t want to go above 82 kg, or I’ll be in the open weight division. After the Worlds, I’ll push my weight up to 90 to 95 kg, but right now, that’s the last thing on my mind. I’ve been clean since August 2025—my biggest achievement. My family is back with me, and now my eldest is starting kickboxing too. My mind is clear; my body is the strongest it’s ever been. I’m reaching new frontiers—I ain’t ever giving up, and I ain’t ever turning back.
