Boxing champion Noxolo Makhanavu is crossing her fingers as she is anxiously waiting for results of her brain scan ahead of her South African female flyweight title defence against Simangele Hadebe.
Makhanavu, who meets Hadebe in a TLB Boxing Promotions’ tournament at the Graceland Casino in Secunda, Mpumalanga, on Saturday, 20 March, went for a brain scan at Frere Hospital in East London last Friday. The 35-year-old East London lass, who is trained by Kholisile Cengani and her older brother Xola Sifama, went for the brain scan because old boxers are required to do so before they could be allowed to fight again.
“I’m positive about getting good results, which will mean that my fight against Simangele will go ahead. I see no reason why I should not get positive results because I have never been beaten so hard on my head,” Makhanavu said.
A negative result from the brain scan would be a very big blow for Makhanavu, who was on the verge of quitting boxing when she received a call, which offered her an opportunity to fight against Hadebe. Makhanavu has not fought since she stopped Portia Base at the Mdantsane Indoor Sports Centre in August 2017.
Makhanavu’s fight against Hadebe is on the under card of five-time world champion Hekkie Budler’s 10 rounds international flyweight bout against Muhsin Kizota from Tanzania.
Meanwhile, former International Boxing Organisation (IBO) and World Boxing Federation (WBF) lightweight champion Xolisani ‘Nomeva’ Ndongeni is also fighting in the same tournament. Ndongeni, who suffered a shock stoppage loss to Prince Dlomo in October 2020, is going to square up against Malawian boxer Byson Gwayan in the main supporting bout.
