Habede ready for crack at Miller for title, says Zulu
UNHERALDED boxing trainer Themba Zulu says Smangele Habede will engage in a war of attrition against Melissa “Honey B” Miller when they battle it out for the Gauteng bantamweight female belt on Saturday.
The bout will form part of the women’s-only tournament to be staged by Showtime Promotions of female promoter Mbali Zantsi at Kempton Park Civic Hall.
Zulu remains unknown despite having guided average boxer Mxolisi Nombewu to victory as the IBO International bantamweight holder. But Zulu of Geo Maroon Boxing Gym in KwaThema in Springs, prefers to prove his detractors wrong through results.
He acknowledged that Miller from Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg is tough but warned that she will be broken down bit by bit on Saturday.
“Smangele is as hot as an iron,” warned Zulu whose charge returns to action four months after dropping a points decision over 10 rounds to reigning SA bantamweight holder Bukiwe “Anaconda” Nonina.
Hadebe made her debut a week after graduating from the amateurs and faced Miller at Don Mateman’s Hall in Eldorado Park. Miller was involved in her sixth fight. Their fight was declared a draw.
“Smangele is fit and ready to rock and roll,” warned Zulu about his charge who has a draw and a loss, while Miller who is trained by Isaac Wilson, has a win, five losses and a draw.
Miller was voted Boxing SA’s female prospect of 2016 at the ceremony in Durban in January.
The tournament on Saturday sees the return of forgotten SA welterweight champion Sandra Almeida who will put her belt on the line against Nomandithini Ndyambo. Almeida – who won the national title against Ndyambo at Mdantsane Indoor Centre in 2014 – last saw action in May 2015 when she failed in her attempt to wrest the Women’s International Boxing Association belt from Esther Phiri in Zambia.
Ndyambo has also not seen action since losing to Farida El Hadrati in France on December 12 2015.
Zantsi, who staged the first ever female only tournament in 2006, said current SA middleweight champion Mapule Ngubane will face Mimie Mauwu from Congo in a catch weight bout over six rounds.
Action will begin at 2pm.