Lion Heart

I met Ncedo when I first started training Muay Thai in 2021. Behind post-lockdown masks, half his words were lost, but his energy was contagious. Getting to know him wasn’t instant. He doesn’t share easily. His story came in fragments, glimpses of a past that felt bigger than I could grasp. It wasn’t until we sat down for this interview, nearly four years into our friendship that I truly understood the depth of what he’s endured. Ncedo isn’t just a champion in the ring, he’s a champion against all odds. Thank you for sharing my friend. • Lunghelo Mlati shot this with me. Mishal Fortune wove the story together as editor and Kelly Berold lent her way with words to the opening copy and title.