The Return to Glory 4: Fill Up City Hall boxing event, hosted by Mvelo Boxing Promotions with support from the KZN Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, delivered an action-packed evening of eight bouts to a capacity crowd in Pietermaritzburg. The tournament featured a mix of established and up-and-coming boxers, all vying for victory in their respective weight categories. From the opening bell to the final bout, the crowd was treated to an evening of thrilling boxing.
In the main event, Ntethelelo MaGcaba secured the vacant KZN bantamweight title with a first-round stoppage of his opponent. MaGcaba attributed his early finish to his opponent's difficulty in handling his punches. He explained that he applied pressure and threw damaging blows, forcing his opponent to bow down to the pressure, and ultimately, the referee stopped the fight. With this victory, MaGcaba is now targeting a shot at the South African title next year.
In the co-feature, Nobengazi Booth of Mooi River successfully defended her SA women's junior middleweight title with a fourth-round TKO victory over Nomandithini Ndyambo of East London. Booth improved her record to six wins and three losses, with five victories coming by knockout. Her opponent entered the contest with eight wins, seven losses, and a draw, including one knockout. Booth stated that her plan was to finish the fight early, rather than give her unpredictable opponent time to become a threat.
On the undercard, Nonkululeko Mncube retained her KZN women's junior bantamweight title with a hard-fought TKO victory. The event also saw KZN Sport, Arts and Culture MEC Khawula and department head Dr Thobile Sifunda attend and hand over boxing equipment to promoter Nomvelo MaGcaba-Shezi. The equipment, which included gloves, punching bags, and training essentials, was provided in support of grassroots development.
MaGcaba-Shezi expressed his satisfaction with the event, citing the turnout as proof of Pietermaritzburg's appetite for boxing and the demand for more tournaments across the province. He noted that the people of Pietermaritzburg are passionate boxing followers and that the event demonstrated a strong indicator of the province's desire for more boxing events.
The event's success was also attributed to the support of the KZN Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, who provided backing for the tournament. The department's involvement highlights the importance of boxing as a sport in the province and the need for continued support and development.
With the provincial belt secured, MaGcaba is now looking to take on new challenges, including a potential shot at the South African title next year. Booth, meanwhile, continues to build on her impressive record, with five victories coming by knockout. The success of the event has set the stage for future boxing tournaments in Pietermaritzburg, with fans eagerly anticipating the next event.
Key points
- Ntethelelo MaGcaba claimed the vacant KZN bantamweight title with a first-round stoppage.
- Nobengazi Booth successfully defended her SA women's junior middleweight title with a fourth-round TKO victory.
- The event demonstrated Pietermaritzburg's appetite for boxing and the demand for more tournaments across the province.
