HUMBLE, down to earth, but packing one mighty punch.
That is local professional boxer Gwayne Grech (25) who is currently ranked ninth in South Africa.
The Middelburg-born fighter has been living in Richards Bay for the past 17 years and currently works at Hillside Aluminium as a project supervisor.
But it is his knock-out abilities that is attracting attention.
What makes his record so impressive is that he only took up fighting at the age of 22 after falling in love with the sport.
He started out as a kick-boxer in 2010 where he scored seven wins and two losses, with a third place finish at the Gauteng provincial championships.
He then joined Garage Boys in 2011 and tried his hand at Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) where he fought in the light heavyweight division, recording three wins and three losses.
But in 2012 he decided to switch to boxing proper and joined the Freddie Rafferty gym to hone his skills.
He also moved into the jujitsu arena where he was unbeaten in numerous fights and competitions, but this year returned to Rafferty where he is currently training for a cruiserweight division fight against Renier Strydom in Durban on 25 April.
‘I would like to be ranked number one in South Africa in the cruiserweight division, win the KwaZulu-Natal title and then the South African title’, says Grech.
He firmly believes hard work pays off and he always pushes himself to the limit.
When not knocking opponents out in the ring, Gwayne can be caught surfing, riding motorbikes and playing his playstation.
‘My advice to any sportsman out there who wants to turn professional is this – get stability and discipline in your life and have a great relationship with the Lord,’ says Grech.
Anyone interested in taking up boxing can contact Freddie Horn on 082 6631712.
HE is truly a champion a hero to all, a true inspiration,he is the one who i always looked up to!and i know he wil be number 1 in SA!