With boxers having made weight in their respective divisions ahead of their fights, it’s then all systems go as Zantsi Showtime Productions makes history by staging the first boxing tournament at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.
The tournament is headlined by a vacant International Boxing Organisation (IBO) All-Africa lightweight title contest between Hlumelo Gingxana from Braelyn in KuGompo City and Mbuyiseli Ndukwana.
Gingxana goes to battle with Knysna-born Ndukwana on the back of an Eastern Cape lightweight title conquest after he stopped Aphiwe Magobiyane in the second round in Komani four months ago. On the other hand, Ndukwana has not fought since he stopped Luthando Mkwini in the fourth round in March last year.
Meanwhile, in a fight, which will feature two Eastern Cape female boxers, Razell Mohamed will dust the cobwebs and steps inside the ring when she defends her South African junior-heavyweight title against Rita Mrwebi.
This is going to be the first time that a fight-starved Mohamed fights in almost three years. The last time she laced her gloves was when she was stopped in the fourth round by New Zealander Lani Daniels in an International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight title contest in Auckland, New Zealand, in August 2023.
On the other hand, Mthatha-born Mrwebi, a former SA female welterweight champion, approaches Saturday’s fight following her Gauteng cruiserweight title win over Kholosa Ndobayini from Qumbu in Soweto last December.
In another bout, Nozipho Bell gets an opportunity to have a championship belt wrapped around her waist yet again as she faces Zimbabwean Chiedza Homakoma in a vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF) Intercontinental female junior-welterweight title fight.
Bell will be fighting for the first time since she lost her SA female junior-lightweight title to Bernice Ferreira, who is now the reigning IBO champion.
