Xavier Radio Ug News 24 7
In the battle against Gender-based violence, a Boxing tournament dubbed ‘Battle for Love’ will be held in Pretoria on Saturday to raise awareness against the scourge.
The tournament will feature seven bouts headlined by the match-up between Simangele Hadebe and Sibulele Soboois for the World Boxing Organisation’s African Flyweight title.
Simangele ‘Smash’ Hadebe will step into the ring on Saturday wearing more than gloves and carrying a lot more than just determination.
She hopes to tell a story of resilience as she prepares to defend her WBO African Flyweight title in a high-stakes bout that forms part of an anti-gender-based violence boxing tournament.
Hadebe is a victim of GBV herself, and fighting in the tournament means a lot to her. “Battle for Love, it’s actually a fight against gender-based violence, child abuse. I was a victim myself at a very young age sexually molested and for that it’s a big thing for me. I am grateful for the opportunity and I thank the promoters for putting me in the bill, to represent that and to speak out.”
Hadebe is set to face the inexperienced Sibulele Suboi from the Western Cape, who has just four professional fights to her name.
A win for her will boost her rankings to challenge for more significant belts overseas.
Last year she lost her World Boxing Council Silver Flyweight title fight against Gabriela Sánchez in Mexico. And she knows what to expect from her opponent.
WBO African flyweight Champion Simangele ‘Smash’ Hadebe says, “I know we are fighting a south paw again the WBO that I will be defending. I fought a south paw, and I am fighting a south paw again, and for us it’s like we are getting used to it and we have also been sparring south paws. But I have been switching also on the opponents not to get used to the same opponent.”
Female boxers have been struggling to get fights, which has impacted on their livelihoods, and Hadebe is no different. She was only in the ring twice last year.
Promoter Terry-Anne Hart says it’s vital to create platforms for these athletes to express themselves…
“There are fighters out there who have not been fighting for years. And for us, it’s vital that we create tournaments so that these fighters can get exposure. At the end of the day, South Africa has got the best talent I firmly believe, look at Smash and what’s coming up and see that the more airtime, they get the more play time.”
On the under card, Jarred Silverman will battle Simphiwe Ntombela in the Junior Middleweight Division, while Lee Ann Jansen Van Vuuren will trade leather with Libra Mtarini in the Women’s Flyweight Division.
www.sabcnews.com, https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/1108633-2/
