By Monwabisi Jimlongo
Simangele ‘Smash’ Hadebe is no stranger to walking away with awards at a South African Boxing Awards ceremony and she hopes to do exactly the same when this year’s function is held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban on Friday, 30 June.
The reigning African Boxing Union (ABU) and South African female flyweight champion has received two South African Boxing Awards nominations in the Female Boxer of the Year and Female Fight of the Year categories.
She’s up against strong opposition from Bukiwe Nonina and Hedda Wolmarans in the Female Boxer of the Year category while her bout against Tanzanian Stumai Muki is in the running for the Female Fight of the Year award.
Four more fights have been nominated in the Female Fight of the Year category -Asanda Simelani v Thapelo Bokwe, Hedda Wolmarans v Ruth Chisale and the Sharadene Fortuin v Ellen Simwaka bout.
“I’m very happy with the nominations. I’m grateful to everyone who nominated me. They have seen a potential in me since I started boxing. This is the first time that I have been nominated in the Boxer of the Year category. This means a lot to me,” Hadebe said.
Hadebe outpointed Phannaluk Kongsang from Thailand at the UNISA Conference Centre in Ormonde, Johannesburg, last month. As a result of the win against the Thai boxer, Hadebe stretched her winning streak to eight fights.
