Sheer determination, according to Lovemore Ndou.

The former University of Wollongong student came from humble beginnings. He grew up in a small town on the South Africa-Zimbabwe border, often faced with life or death scenarios, and had to pay his own way through primary school.

The now 49-year-old wants to inspire others on his quest to make the world a better place, and has released a tell-all book Tough Love.

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"I didn't start school until I was nine years of age, and when I started school I had to find a job as well, to pay for school fees and my uniform," he said.

"It doesn't really matter whether you have a bad start of life, with perseverance and hard work and dedication you can still make your dream come true."

He experienced poverty and the injustices of the apartheid system, witnessed atrocities committed against his family and community, was a victim of police brutality and saw his best friend gunned down in a street protest.

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Anger became a problem but through boxing he was able to control it, transforming him into a cool, calm individual.

"I got into boxing to protect my family and to protect myself," Ndou said.

It was his ticket out of poverty, it allowed him to pay for his education and it allowed him to find a better life in Australia.

"It's great winning world titles, but you know some day someone better is going to come and beat you and take that title away," he said. "With education, no-one is ever going to take that degree away from you."

Ndou has a Master of Laws from UOW, as well as degrees in psychology and communications. He's currently studying a Masters in Political Science with his sights set on a PhD to undertake research on whether South Africa should reintroduce the jury system.

Despite finding the time to do all this, work as a practicing lawyer, as well as raise three children, it took Ndou around five years to write the book and relive his traumatic past.

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Nightmares were a frequent occurrence in his life, but facing his demons head-on and transcribing them onto a page was "therapeutic" in the end, banishing those bad dreams.

"If you fear something, sometimes you have do it to get over that fear," he said.

Once his university doctorate is out of the way, Ndou has his eye on politics in his home country and is ready to right many wrongs, he said.

"[Nelson] Mandela did a great job but all his work is going down the drain," he said.

His message for the greater universe is to hang on for the ride, because life sometimes throws "hurdles to overcome".

"Just because you fail on something doesn't mean that's the end of it," Ndou said. "Any failure prepares you for success in the future."

Tough Love is out now through New Holland Publishers.

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