Unified world champion, Bernice ‘The Badger’ Ferreira, has had an incredibly run in the last nine months, winning three titles and making boxing history in the process.
Ferreira won the South African female junior-lightweight title last November and added the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) belt after she defeated Malawian boxer, Ellen Simwaka, in May this year.
As if that was not enough, Ferreira made boxing history when she became the first female boxer on the African continent to become a unified world champion. Ferreira defeated French-born Canadian, Caroline Veyre, at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America (USA) on Sunday morning, South African time, to add the World Boxing Council (WBC) belt to her collection.
Ferreira won the WBC belt after fight referee, Malik Waleed from Maryland in the US, disqualified Veyre in the eighth round for excessive holding. Before that, one point had already been deducted from the 37-year-old Veyre in rounds four and seven for excessive holding.
“I don’t think it has sunk in yet that I won the fight. I feel proud, I feel honoured, I feel humbled as well,” the 34-year-old unbeaten Ferreira remarked.
“It was a very tough fight. Caroline was tough, but I didn’t feel her so much. Being a unified champion is an amazing feeling. I had been waiting for this moment and my dream to come true.”
Ferreira, who won the IBO title after she outpointed Malawian opponent, Ellen Simwaka, at the Wild Coast Sun, Bizana, three months ago, has improved her record to 11 wins while Veyre has won 11 bouts and lost twice. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
