Fight fans are looking forward to the May 9 match between Bernice “The Badger” Ferreira and Ellen “Tigress” Simwaka at Wild Coast Sun in the Eastern Cape.
Promoter Terry Anne Hart announced the IBO Championship committee approved Simwaka to taken on Ferreira for its vacant junior lightweight title.
Initially Ferreira was due to face Simwaka’s compatriot from Lilongwe in Malawi, Adidya “Lioness” Mimu, next Saturday.
However, Mimu, who is Simwaka’s gym mate at Brian Mitchell’s gym in Edenvale where their trainer Vusi Mtolo rents space, pulled out this week due to medical reasons.
Hart acted swiftly and approached Simwaka, who stepped up to the plate.
Ferreira is fairly new in the game and undefeated after nine fights, with the SA belt as testament to her resilience and hunger to reclaim her place in the sport.
Simwaka is a scarred warrior who has won the International Boxing Federation Africa, World Boxing Federation’s Africa, International and Intercontinental bantamweight titles.
The pressure fighter, who relentlessly throws volumes of punches, has been active for 10 years with 14 wins, eight losses and two draws.
Their match promises to be a raw and intense fight much like the “Rumble in the Jungle”. That was a historic heavyweight boxing match held on October 30 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo), between new champion Muhammad Ali and dethroned champ George Foreman.
Hart said: “We had a bit of a stumble, but we are surviving.
“As Fighters Club, our lead and most important fight on the night of April 25 was between Adidya and Bernice.
“We sympathise with Adidya because this was a very important title for herself and for Bernice.
“I think it would been a world-class title fight on African soil between African women.”
“To postpone was not an easy decision. It came with finding a replacement for Adidya. Ellen said she’s ready.”
All fighters who have been training for April 25 will feature on May 9.
Hart said: “I feel the system designed for fighters is failing them and promoters because we had known three weeks ago, we could still have the event on April 28.
“This needs to change and regulation needs to be activated.”
Hart urged Boxing SA to have a look at regulations.
“If the industry is privy to certain information, I should also be privy to that information. “I feel the pressure it caused on Adidya.”
She said she took offence to accusations that Mimu was not fit to fight so she pulled out of the bout.
“I saw Adidya at Battle for Love (a tournament she staged in February) and she was ready.”
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