A Women-Only boxing tournament is scheduled to take place at Bruntville Sports Centre in Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday. The event is being jointly staged by promoters Hlengiwe Dladla, Zandile Malinga, and Nomvelo Shezi, who previously organised a similar event at the same venue in March. This tournament is part of a series of women-only boxing events that have been taking place across South Africa.
The government has been providing financial support to women's boxing through Boxing SA's Women in Boxing Series. This support has contributed to the growth of women's boxing in the country, with tournaments having already taken place in Rustenburg, kuGompo City, Kimberley, Thohoyandou, and Free State. The Mooi River event is the latest in this series.
The tournament will feature a rematch between Nonkululeko Mncube and Thema Zuma for the KZN bantamweight title. Mncube and Zuma previously fought in March for the provincial junior-bantam belt, which Mncube retained successfully. Zuma has since bounced back, defeating former world champion Gabisile Tshabalala and taking over Tshabalala's No 1 spot in the bantamweight class.
Zuma will be putting her spot at risk against No 3 contender for the SA junior-bantamweight belt held by Nosiacaswe Dube. In another provincial title fight, Noxolo Mkhasibe and Nolwazi Myingwa will contest the vacant middleweight title. Mkhasibe, from Hammersdale, will be challenging for a provincial title for the second time, having lost to Nobengazi Booth for the junior-middleweight title at Bruntville Sports Centre in March.
Myingwa, from Inanda, won the Mpumalanga provincial middleweight title two weeks ago. The tournament will also feature a bout between two unbeaten bantamweight fighters, Lethokuhle Sibisi and Lumka Ntobela, who will revive an old amateur rivalry. Sibisi, from Dundee, lost to Ntobela, from Cherstervile, before they turned professional.
The event will feature a total of several fights, including the headline rematch between Mncube and Zuma. Action is set to begin at 1pm on Saturday. The tournament is expected to showcase the skills of some of South Africa's top female boxers.
The Women-Only boxing tournament is a significant event in the South African boxing calendar, highlighting the growth and development of women's boxing in the country. With the support of the government and Boxing SA, women's boxing continues to gain momentum, providing opportunities for female boxers to compete and showcase their skills.
Key points
- The Women-Only boxing tournament is being jointly staged by promoters Hlengiwe Dladla, Zandile Malinga, and Nomvelo Shezi.
- The tournament will feature a rematch between Nonkululeko Mncube and Thema Zuma for the KZN bantamweight title.
- The event is part of Boxing SA's Women in Boxing Series, which aims to promote and develop women's boxing in South Africa.
