Ngemuva kokushona kukababa wakhe esemncane, u-Obed Gumede owaziwa ngo-‘3 ‘wayeka isikole waqala ukusebenza esemncane kakhulu. Wathola umsebenzi egatsheni lase-Kings Sports ku-West Street, lapho athola khona ithuba lokwazi ngezinhlobonhlobo zezemidlalo; eneminyaka engu-20 wayelokhu eqhubeka nothando lwesibhakela. U-Obed waqeqeshwa ngaphansi kuka-Moffatt Ngcobo no-Tommy Goqo e-Boxing Merebank Gym, waba ngumshayisibhakela okhokhelwayo ngo-1960. Waphumelela esigabeni se-Lightweight, okwagqamisa kakhulu emsebenzi wakhe wokulwa ukuklonyeliswa njengompetha we-Natal Provincial Lightweight.
Ngesikhathi umsebenzi wakhe wesibhakela usuphela ekuqaleni kwama-1970, u-Obed wasungula iqembu elithuthukisa ibhola elaziwa nge-The Umlazi Citizens, elalizinikele ekutholeni abadlali abasebancane abanekhono elokishini futhi babaqeqeshele ukuba bancintisane noNdunankulu kaZwelonke. I-Soccer League phakathi kuka-1971 no-1995. U-Obed waphumelela kunzima, lapho i-The Umlazi Citizens yenyuselwa kuligi ephezulu, kwabdabukisa ukwehliswa kwakhe esikhundleni ngabaqondisi.Ngemuva kwale micimbi, u-Obed ubuyele othandweni lwakhe lokuqala kwezemidlalo, okuyisibhakela. Ngesikhathi sakhe sokuphumula waqala ukuqeqesha izinsizwa ehholo lomphakathi.
Kusukela ethathe umhlalaphansi uzinikele kulolu bizo esikhathini esisebenza ngokugcwele, kulandela inkolelo yakhe ejulile yokuthi intsha emphakathini kufanele inikezwe ezinye izindlela ezinempilo empilweni, ukuze ibone ukubaluleka kokuziphatha kahle, ukusebenza kanzima nokuhlonipha. Igalelo lakhe labonakala kwinani elikhulu lampetha besifundazwe abakhiqizwa yijimu.
Yize indawo yokuzivocavoca ejimini yakhe okwamanje ihlinzekwa nguMasipala weTheku eMlazi Indoor Sports Centre. UPakela Radebe ubefaka isandla ngokuthuthwa kwabadlali ukuya emiqhudelwaneni oThongathi nakwezinye izindawo, u-Obed uzinikele uqobo lwakhe esibhakeleni eThekwini. Uzuze yonke impumelelo yakhe emangalisayo ngaphandle kokufuna uxhaso emikhakheni emikhulu yezemidlalo.
Eminyakeni yobudala engu-84 usalokhu ekhuthele esibhakeleni futhi muva nje wethule isibhakela emkhakheni omusha wabasubathi besifazane abasebancane, abathathe izibhakela ngokuzimisela. U-Anele Ndlovu noPhilile Nyawo, bobabili abaneminyaka engu-16 nje vo, baqeqeshwe ngu-Obed futhi manje sebencintisana esigabeni se-Flyweight. Ngo-2015 u-Anele Ndlovu wawina isicoco se-Best Junior Boxer emqhudelwaneni owawuse-Welkom eFree State.
Ngaphezu kokuwina izindondo, uGumede ukholelwa ekutheni isibhakela siqoqa abafana namantombazane abasebancane futhi bazokhulela ngaphansi kwephiko lakhe. Zisho lukhulu lezi zingane kuye, iningi lazo seliphumelele kakhulu.