Sowetan

I’m unapprecia­ted – champ Nonina

The new world female boxing champion confounds her critics

- By Bongani Magasela ■

Newly-crowned world female boxing champion Bukiwe “Anaconda” Nonina says she is deeply hurt by the cold shoulder from the local fight public which wrote her off against highly-rated Alesia Graf from Germany.

“Many people wrote on social media last week that I will be stopped in three rounds by Graf,” said Nonina, who confounded the former two-time world champion for the vacant WBF bantamweig­ht title in Cape Town on Friday.

“I have received many congratula­tory messages from outside South Africa. I feel very happy not only to be a world champion but to beat such a respected boxer.

“I was so fit that I could not believe my performanc­e,” said Nonina who is based in Venda and is trained by unheralded trainer Immanuel Mutavhatsi­ndi.

Graf was a favourite going into the fight based on her 13 knockouts from 29 wins.

Nonina, 25, from Dutywa, Eastern Cape, bettered her CV to 11 wins, three losses and a draw.

She remains the only South African female champion to own a championsh­ip belt, a feat that earned her Boxing South Africa’s 2016 Female Boxer of the Year.

Nonina was encouraged by her father to join boxing because he trained amateurs in Klerksdorp, said Nonina, who did a course in electrical engineerin­g at Madzaha College.

Mutavhatsi­ndi said: “Her biggest strength is her ability to listen. She is destined for great things.”

Nkululeko Mhlongo failed in his attempt to win the WBF junior middleweig­ht belt against Rafael Bejaran in Germany on Sunday.

The fight was stopped in the sixth round due to a cut Bejaran sustained in the second round.

The bout was declared a technical draw.

I have received many congratula­tory messages from outside South Africa. I feel very happy not only to be a world champion but to beat such a respected fighter. BUKIWE NONINA

 ?? / SUPPLIED ?? Bukiwe Nonina exchanges leather with German Alesia Graf for the vacant WBF bantamweig­ht belt in Cape Town. Nonina beat Graf on points.
/ SUPPLIED Bukiwe Nonina exchanges leather with German Alesia Graf for the vacant WBF bantamweig­ht belt in Cape Town. Nonina beat Graf on points.
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