Good showing for Mapule despite loss to Tenge
‘Thunder’ offered the fight a week before entering ring
Mapule “Thunder” Ngubane lost the battle against WBF junior middleweight champion Noni “She Bee Stingin” Tenge at the Kagiso Recreation and Memorial Centre on the West Rand on Friday, but certainly won the war.
Ngubane accepted the offer from promoter Mbali Zantsi on Friday, September 1, which means she only trained to make the weight limit.
But the former South African welterweight and junior middleweight holder – whose corner was manned by Samson Ndlovu – gave a topdrawer performance, only to lose on points after 10 rounds.
Two judges’ scorecards of 97-92 gave a true reflection of the action, while the third score of 91-98 was way off the mark.
Meanwhile, Unathi “African Queen” Myekeni won her second “world” title – the WBF featherweight belt – on points against Asandiswa Nxokwana. Myekeni avenged a defeat in March.
Tenge and Myekeni, from Mdantsane in Eastern Cape, made their deut under Mbali Zantsi’s Showtime Boxing Promotions in 2007.
The tournament, which was bankrolled by the Gauteng provincial government, Sports and Recreation South Africa and Mogale City, had Sports Minister Thulasi Nxesi among the dignitaries.
Thema Zuma beat Tshepang Majola with a first-round TKO, a result Nontuthuzelo Chitani repeated against Phumudzo Matondzo. Smangele Radeneat beat Ellen Simanga on points over eight rounds and Sindiswe Ncube beat Moumi Sibiya on points over four rounds.