If the confidence shown by two of South African boxing’s top female boxers, Monica Mkandla and Simamkele Tutsheni, is anything to go by, then fight fans will watch a battle royale when the lasses trade blows at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, on Saturday evening.
Unbeaten Mkandla and Tutsheni, an International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Africa junior-featherweight female champion, are going to test each other’s fistic skills in a six rounds bout, which might steal the show during the six-bout tournament promoted by Golden Gloves.
“I’m not gonna say much except to say that I’m going to win the fight. I will be 10 and 0. There’s no way that I’m gonna lose to Simamkele Tutsheni,” Mkandla said.
Fighting for the second time at the Emperors Palace this year, having defeated Thema Zuma in March, Mkandla, who has won all her nine fights with one of those wins coming from a stoppage, added: “I’m happy that this fight is happening. I’ve wanted this fight for a very long time. I just hope she’s fit and ready for me. I’m gonna bring all the fire throughout the six rounds.”
On the other hand, Tutsheni goes to the fight following a defeat by Polish boxer Laura Monika Grzyb in an IBO junior-featherweight female title contest in Poland four months ago.
“I’m excited about this fight. It’s gonna be redemption time for me after losing my fight in Poland. I’m going to win this fight. I know her style and I also know her weaknesses, which I’m going to use to win this fight,” Tutsheni, who has eight wins with three knockouts and a loss, said. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
