More needs to be done to promote female boxing in South Africa and not have all-female tournaments only in August, which is a women’s month.
This is the view of award-winning Unleashed Combat Sport boss Shereen Hunter.
The Johannesburg-based promoter, who is the secretary of the Gauteng Boxing Promoters Association (GBPA), firmly believes that South Africa has neglected female boxers.
The GBPA has set the ball rolling and is going to stage an almost all-women tournament at the Booysens Boxing Gym in Johannesburg on Sunday, 15 August.
“We kick-start a series of tournaments profiling women in boxing. It’s the first and not the last. The other women promoters have also brought the issue to the table that women cannot only be promoted in the month of August,” Hunter said.
“We understand very well that they need to be supported throughout the year. So we do have a firm commitment from the men who are involved in the Gauteng Boxing Promoters Association to support women’s boxing.”
Hunter, a 2017 Promising Promoter of the Year award winner, has insisted that they are going to push for more tournaments in a bid to continue promoting women’s boxing.
“We certainly are not going to wait until next year August to host another women’s event or to have women on the bill in Gauteng,” she said.
Meanwhile, Hunter has thanked the SABC for making a commitment to show boxing tournaments live on TV.
“It’s the first time that the association is working with the SABC,” Hunter said.
“We are very excited about the new line of leadership leading the sports channel. Gary Rathbone has been very supportive of Gauteng Boxing Promoters Association. He’s really come to the party in terms of giving us live broadcasting of boxing. Sunday afternoon, two o’clock live boxing is an absolute win for boxing.”
The bill:
10 rounds:
SA female bantamweight title:
Mellisa Miller (champion) v Sharadene Fortuin
Eight rounders:
Middleweight:
Mapule Ngubane v Rita Mrwebi
Junior-bantamweight:
Simangele Hadebe v Thema Zuma
Six rounders:
Junior-featherweight:
Gabisile Tshabalala v Ellen Simwaka
Junior-featherweight:
Lufuno Mutshayi v Enelies Nkhwathi
Four rounders:
Junior-featherweight:
Monalisa Takane v Nozi Dube
Male lightweight:
Clement Pilusa v Themba Hadebe
Male flyweight:
Mfanuvele Ntuli v Thami Luthuli
