Myekeni throws verbal jabs at rival
THERE was tension in the air yesterday when Unathi Myekeni and Asandiswa Nxokwana met at the premedical of their eagerly anticipated clash at Mdantsane Fitness Joint yesterday.
The pair clash for the SA women’s featherweight title belt held by Nxokwana in a perfect crossroads fight promoted by Zbashy Promotions at Mdantsane Indoor Centre on Friday.
Nxokwana is promoted by Zbashy owner Sibongile Matiti while Myekeni is aligned with All Winners boxing club, where her cousin and former world champion Mhikiza Myekeni is one of the trainers.
All Winners manager Mla Tengimfene is not on good terms with Sibongile’s brother Ayanda Matiti of Xaba Promotions with their relations having soured after the Makazole Tete debacle when the boxer opted to work with Xaba rather than continue under Tengimfene’s management.
While yesterday’s tension cannot be attributed to the feud between the boxers’ camps, Myekeni was in her mean mood, especially when someone joked that she would come short from toppling Nxokwana.
The former Nick Durandttrained boxer started to drop the F-bombs even cringing her brother.
“I have f**** n fought the best compared to this kid so how can one think that I am scared of her,” she charged.
Myekeni who scaled 58,24 kg continued to throw verbal jabs obviously agitated with something.
Earlier on she had been embroiled in an argument, over the phone, with Matiti over who is liable to pay for her pregnancy test to which the promoter insisted that she should pay for herself.
And when she arrived at the premedical venue, after delaying proceedings, she was still in a mean mood.
Asked what she had done to Myekeni, Matiti replied: “I do not know. She obviously sees me as one [of] her enemies.”
A usually jovial boxer, Myekeni could not even be coaxed into getting relaxed when speaking to the Daily Dispatch.
“It will be a big joke if people think I will lose to this kid,” she said.
Myekeni who is now 35, is at the twilight of her career having held the WBF world junior featherweight title which she did not lose in the ring.
Nxokwana, 23, on the other hand was relaxed as she easily tipped the scales at a low 56,96kg sparking onlookers to cry out that she was “under weight”.
Asked what the fight meant to her, Nxokwana said: “It means my introduction to big-time boxing. Myekeni presents an opportunity for me to make a name for myself.”
The clash will form part of Zbashy Promotions’ seven bout tournament bankrolled by Boxing SA as part of its programme to empower women boxing.
Entrance will be free.