Simangele Hadebe has just again shown why she is the epitome of excellence in the boxing ring as she managed to successfully defend her African Boxing Union (ABU) title at Kibler Park Recreation Centre in Johannesburg on Saturday, 22 June 2024.
In a thrilling bout against Tanzanian Jesca Mfinanga, Hadebe dominated the fight with her extraordinary skill and tenacity, which saw her win the first round.
A mistake from the third-ranked Mfinanga saw the Tanzanian box accidentally headbutt Hadebe, and this lit a fire in the South African boxer, which saw her unleash a barrage of powerful blows to both the head and body of her opponent.
As the round came to a close, Mfinaga found it hard to match the blows inflicted by Hadebe, and this saw her African opponent drop her hands and turn her back on Hadebe as she headed towards her corner.
According to ABU rules, this means that the fight would immediately come to a close and this meant Hadebe would be deemed the winner before the first round was even finished.
‘Smash’, as Hadebe is affectionately known, has again cemented herself as Africa’s top female boxer after her sensational and significant victory.
Hadebe wasn’t the only boxer from Mzansi in action on Saturday, as Bonita van Jaarsveld took on Beke Bas of Germany. Van Jaarsveld suffered a setback ahead of her fight, as coach Ferdi Basson couldn’t make the trip as he didn’t get his visa on time, so she had to fight without him in her corner.
A local coach then stepped in, however the language barrier proved to be a problem, as the coach couldn’t converse in English.
Despite the misfortune, Van Jaarsveld, whose fight was sanctioned by the Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA), put off on a valiant display, and fought all 10 rounds against Beke, falling just short on points in her defeat.
Her manager Colleen McAusland expressed immense pride in Van Jaarsveld’s decision to compete, despite what was a trying scenario. “Bonita made the brave choice to fight alone in a foreign country, and she showed incredible grit by going the distance. She did South Africa proud,” said McAusland.
This match marked a significant milestone for Bonita, as it was her first professional fight since the passing of her fiancé last year. Her return to the ring is a testament to her resilience and dedication to the sport.
Main Photo Caption: Simangele Hadebe has just again shown why she is the epitome of excellence in the boxing ring as she managed to successfully defend her African Boxing Union (ABU) title at Kibler Park Recreation Centre in Johannesburg on Saturday, 22 June 2024. Photo: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: A brave fight by Bonita van Jaarsveld, going down on points to Germany’s Beke Bas in a foreign country in the absence of her coach. Photo: Supplied
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