A 22-year-old kickboxing protégé who got into the ring for the very first time barely a year ago has been selected for the SA kickboxing team set to face Canada in Stellenbosch on Saturday 8 July.
Phillip Cronje, who was born and bred in the Strand, is adamant he couldn’t have done it without his coach, Corne Blom, owner of Knockout Centre at the Gants Plaza.
He said after matriculating in 2018 he tried to pursue his studies and get a job, but was unsuccessful until the opportunity to gym and get fit presented itself.
“I played rugby and did some wrestling at school, but it was later on that I found a passion for fighting after watching some UFC fights on television. I practised daily and sent out applications to various gyms, until Knockout Centre got back to me. Corne was incredibly motivating and believed in me, and trained me to become an assistant coach. But the main goal was always to develop my skills, train and fight competitively.
“I kept coming back day after day, despite an aching body and the odd injury. I saw the potential of not just fighting, but also making a career out of it.”
A month later Cronje was offered his first white-collar fight, and later on went on to fight two more boxing matches.
“The journey always starts with boxing, and gradually develops until you’re ready to get into the kickboxing ring,” he said. “In one of my early fights I was knocked out in the first round and had to be carried out. It was a really important learning curve and a reality check. It took me several weeks to get over it and overcome the mental aspect, so that I could get back into the ring again.”
Cronje said he started to question himself and whether he was cut out for fighting, but most importantly pressed on with training and with the assistance of Corne managed to learn from the experience instead of being intimidated by it.
Cronje soon afterwards participated in his first kickboxing tournament in February this year, and a month later went on to the Western Cape Championships in Hermanus, before being selected for the SA Champs held in April in Limpopo.
“I started winning and this has been incredibly motivating,” he said. “Although there has been learning curves that are not always easy to overcome, I really couldn’t do it without the guidance, encouragement and wisdom of Corne and what the Knockout Centre has offered me. When I was selected for the SA team it felt like a dream come true and I ower everything to this gym.”
The SA match-up against Canada is still a month away and Cronje is continuing his vigorous training routine whilst at the same time coaching members at the Knockout Centre. He is also scheduled to partake in a kickboxing tournament that takes place during June.
“I’m nervous, which I think is pretty normal. This is only the start of my journey and hopefully I can keep focus and consistency.”
Corne said that he was proud of Cronje’s progress but that there was still a long way to go.
“It comes down to getting back up every time you fall,” he said. “Sometimes it can seem like an uphill struggle, but this sport builds character and brings out the best version of yourself. You’ve got to start somewhere to get to the level that you want to be. Hopefully this will signal the start of a really special journey and we can fight international opponents one day.”
