IT'S not every day that an opportunity to go abroad lands on your doorstep.
But this could be reality for Katlego Ndhlovu, (27), but only if he raises enough money to fly to Thailand.
Katlego from Joburg was signed to a professional Muay Thai gym in Thailand as part of their team of professional Muay Thai fighters.
Muay Thai loosely translates to Thai boxing in English and is an age-old martial art originating from Thailand.
This opportunity, due on 19 February 2024, will not only allow Katlego to receive firsthand training in Muay Thai, but will also prepare him for his future professional debut and hopefully compete for the championships.
But Katlego is only a few thousand rands away from this dream coming true.
He recently launched the first ever Muay Thai Street Couture fashion collection and released the first item, a T-shirt announcing: I've been signed to the Thai gym. He hopes the shirt sales may be able to help him get to Thailand.
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Katlego’s journey in martial arts began in August of 2021 with little to no background knowledge of fighting. For him it was merely taking on a new skill which would later see him flourish.
But this sudden interest in martial arts did not land easy on Katlego’s close friends and family who had a lot to say about his newfound passion.
He said he often received backlash with many questioning if he was "delusional or crazy", however he knew he was set on the right path as this sport exposed him to his true talent and he wants to see how far he can go with it.
He argued that there's more to the sport that people can learn beyond just fighting each other.
For Katlego, Muay Thai is more like physical chess, pure technical fighting and the establishment of the best fighter between two fighters.
With a busy schedule that lies ahead, Katlego said most of his time will be spent in the gym constantly perfecting his skills while also remaining dedicated and committed.
“My professional career has only just started. The nation will be able to witness my whole journey from the beginning to the end. People always judge how much I put into the sport and train, but it’s paying off now. If you want to reach these levels in Muay Thai, you have to commit yourself to the sport and stay in the gym,” said Katlego.
Katlego hopes he will one day win the Muay Thai World Championship.
To order a T-shirt, WhatsApp “SS-24” to 067 133 4093.
