Red-hot Jegels earns a shot at bantamweight title

MAINTAINING a consistently high level of performance has earned devastating female boxing prospect Leighandre “Baby Lee” Jegels a crack at the vacant South African junior bantamweight title.

Promoter Andale Sideliner announced yesterday Jegels would fight Nolubabalo Ngqondelana at the Mdantsane Indoor Centre next month for the title that Sharrodene “Shaza” Fortuin, who now holds the IBO bantamweight strap, vacated. Promoter Koko Godlo will stage the contest because Sidinile’s Sijuta Promotions does not organise national title fights.

Said Sidinile: ‘‘I have not changed my mind about the pledge I made that fighters under my wing would not fight for any SA title. We just want to use this chance to motivate Leighandre because she will be involved in a world title before the end of the year. We also want her to campaign permanently in the junior bantamweight division internationally.”

Jegels has made an immediate impression in a short time. Having made her debut in 2014, the fighter, whose awesome skills are polished by legendary former IBF junior featherweight champion Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu, has stopped five of her six opponents.

She performed so well in her first international bout, against Marian Giselle Clausi at Orient Theatre in August last year, that her fight against her Argentinian opponent, the only one to see the last round, was voted the bout of the night.