Eastern Cape boxer Bukiwe ‘Anaconda’ Nonina reckons that fighting in the TLB Boxing Promotions tournament, which features a celebrity bout between Cassper Nyovest (Refiloe Phoolo) and NaakMusiq (Anga Makubalo) at the Sun City Superbowl in Rustenburg on Saturday will help enhance her fistic career.
Nonina also sees her fight against Feriche Mashauri from Tanzania as a way of realising her dream of fighting for a world title again even though she has insisted that she will take baby steps towards achieving that goal.
The former South African and world champion faces Mashauri in a vacant African Boxing Union (ABU) female junior-lightweight contest.
“This is a big opportunity for us boxers. To be honest, the exposure of this fight wouldn’t have been that big had it not been for the bout between Cassper Nyovest and NaakMusiq. We are going to be exposed to sponsors and something good might come out after this tournament,” Nonina said.
The 2016 and 2017 Female Boxer of the Year award winner has also insisted that her aim is to win the ABU belt and then take slow steps towards fighting for a world title.
“I’m going to win this fight even though I’m not sure of whether it’s gonna be a stoppage or will go the distance,” Nonina remarked.
“I’m not in a hurry to challenge for a world title. I want to take it step by step, starting with the ABU title. I will then go for the silver or international title.”
Nonina, a former World Boxing Federation (WBF) and SA bantamweight female champion, boasts a professional record of 17 victories with three knockouts, four defeats and a draw while her opponent has won 10 fights with three stoppages and four losses.