Stoppages spice things up at Indoor
Fighters proving their prowess in women’s event
IT WAS billed as the best boxing tournament of all the events to celebrate women’s month and boy (or girl?) did it live up to expectations.
All the bouts but one that featured in the Zbashy Promotions at the Mdantsane Indoor Centre on Friday ended in stoppages.
Boxers, such as Nozwelethu Mathontsi, not known as power punchers were in mean mood as they battered their foes into submission just minutes after the start of their bouts.
Interestingly it was the most decorated boxer Bukiwe “Anaconda” Nonina who was content to go the full rounds in the bill although she was the only world champion in the tournament and was fighting in a staybusy bout.
Nonina dominated her six rounds bantamweight clash against Zimbabwean Patience Mastara, an opponent she later described as “very awkward”.
“I requested a warm-up fight from my promoter Zbashy so that I could wear off the rust,” she said.
While her rivalry with current WBA International bantamweight champion Sharodeen Fortuin is documented, the pair was seen sitting together after the bout.
Nonina says there is no bad blood between them although some fans were heard calling for them to get it on.
“I heard those voices of people asking me when I will fight Shazz but I ignored them because I am not sure what the bout will achieve in the long run.”
Nonina beat Fortuin three years ago when both boxers were in their fledging careers.
Nonina currently holds the WBF bantamweight crown she won when she bested German Alesia Graf this past March to become the first ever word champion from Idutywa.
She also holds the record of being the only female boxer to defend her national title five times.
While fans await her bout against Fortuin with bated breath, Mathontsi continued with her sublime form when she added the scalp of Ntabiseng Didi courtesy of a fourth round stoppage to retain her SA junior flyweight crown.
Mathontsi’s victim Noxolo Makhanavu – another boxer who is not known for her power – easily tore into Portia Base of Port Elizabeth to force a second round stoppage and register her third defence of her SA flyweight diadem.
The vastly improving Asandiswa Nxokwana whose lone blemish was also suffered against Nonina, continued with her blistering form when she needed just three rounds to halt Sandisiwe Gxogxo of Port Elizabeth.
Nxokwana was coming off her biggest win when she stopped former world champion Unathi Myekeni in nine rounds at the same venue three months ago.
The win by the boxer from Emagalini Abomvu in Leaches Bay added yet another cap to her remarkable career and may have set her on a world title route.
In the walk out bout Mapule Ngubane of Gauteng stopped Xolelwa Soka of East London in five rounds in their catchweight duel.
There were fears that the tournament could be called off due to a variety of issues.