Emil Brice lays down the gloves one last time

The boxing fraternity gathered in Ottery at the weekend to pay their last respects to a man who gave his life to the sport.

- BUNTU GOTYWA

Veteran boxing trainer Emil Brice lost his battle with cancer last week, leaving behind a legacy stitched into the very fabric of Cape Town boxing. To speak of the Brice family is to speak of boxing itself, a name that carries weight, history, and pride within South African boxing circles.

Emil's journey in the sport began decades ago.

He turned professional in the late 1970s, after a more than stellar career in the amateur ranks where he won multiple provincial championships.

Though his own career as a pro boxer wasn't long, what followed outside the ropes became his true calling.

His most recent work was with Wassim Chellan before his health deteriorated as he was looking to add another SA title holder to his stable.

He did the same for fighters like Lunga Sitemela whom he guided to a SA title and countless others over the years, many of whom credit Emil with changing their lives.

Emil and his younger brother Jackie were raised in the sport by another legend, their father Basil Brice.