Dave Wellings, who coached Tinago says in his new book The Bengu Years, which tells the inside story of the Golden Age of boxing and wrestling in Zimbabwe, that the Shurugwi-born boxer is one of the most successful boxers in the country.
The book puts to rest the notion that boxing then was not well-paying. British-born Wellings, who is now based in Australia, coached top boxers such as Proud Kilimanjaro, Cranos Zuma, Stix McCloud, Flash Chisango, Richard Rova and Charles Mandeya among others.
Wellings said he met Tinago (now 62 and living in Gweru) at his shop, The People Choice Bazaar, when he was a national champion and was considering retirement at 30.
On this day, Wellings said Tinago’s breath “smelled of beer” but he transformed into a top boxer when he took him into his boxing stable, Action Promotions.
“My concerns about his age and fitness were soon dispelled; he would run 25 kilometres early each morning and return with a frosting of white around his tracksuit collar: it was perspiration dried to salt by the African sun.
“He would pound the heavy punchbag like an automation for an hour and then return in the cool of the evening for sparring session, he had superb defensive reactions and a laser-like left jab — but that was all. I used to joke that his right cross was like his birthday party, he only threw it once a year, combination punches were just rare I doubt he had ever thrown an uppercut,” Wellings said in the book.
Tinago, who is described as “snappy dresser” and “hot pants man” during his heyday, would go on to conquer international boxing.
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At one time in 1978 in South Africa, Tinago met a “mini-skirted” hotel girl before a fight against superweight world champion Nkosana “Happyboy” Jele and the girl said the Zimbabwean would never beat him.
Langton laughed and took a bet with the girl. The boxer borrowed a pen from his coach and wrote the number of his hotel room on the girl’s hand. “This is the bet, if Happyboy doesn’t win, you come to my room at eight o’clock, Ok?” He did this with another girl and gladly won the bet after beating Happyboy.
Wellings said Tinago could have become a world champion had it not been for the pariah status of Rhodesia. However, his break came in 1979 when he reluctantly gave his national welterweight champion crown to fight as lightweight where he had advantages of height and reach. Schoolboy strengthened his case for a Commonwealth title fight by winning two fights in Zimbabwe and outpointing Willie Booth, the lightweight champion in Salisbury (now Harare).
“After several months of lobbying, the invite finally came through but I could not locate Tinago at his flat and found him dancing the night away to the deafening sounds of Congolese music at then ‘notorious’ Queens Hotel,” says Wellings.
He gave Tinago two days to get rid of the toxins before preparing for the fight against Nigeria’s Hogan Jimoh who had won 33 of his 35 fights. The Nigerian experience in 1981 was a nightmare as Tinago and Wellings had to take their bags to the ringside for departure later that night.
Tinago managed to floor Jimoh to become the Zimbabwe’s first ever Commonwealth lightweight champion. The pair had to run to catch their plane with a blooded Tinago in his boxing trunks and US$5 000 prize money in a khakhi envelope.
Wellings said the year ended on a triumphant note when Tinago was voted Sportsman-of-the-Year, the first boxer to be honoured in the 27-year history of the award.
Tinago, who is now struggling is also reported in the book to have been well-paid. He was the face of Hepworth suits and “not only was he well-paid but he kept the modelled suits”. Tinago had a pop song dedicated to him and his photograph was printed on National Foods mealie-meal (Pearlenta) bags.
Tinago went on to win the Commonwealth title four times before retiring with a professional record of 83 wins and three draws from 106 bouts.Next week we trace the rise of Proud Kilimanjaro from a mugger to a heavyweight champion.
