A veteran female boxing champion, Kholosa Ndobayini, will defend her national lightweight title against Raider Muleba in a boxing tournament dubbed “Thriller in Tzaneen” this weekend.
Thirty-six-year-old Ndobayini from the Eastern Cape will defend her title for the fifth time at Nkowankowa Sports Centre outside Tzaneen, Limpopo, on Sunday afternoon.
The tournament will be staged by Hlanganisa Sports Promotion.
The Qumbu-born pugilist, Ndobayini, wants to improve her winning record to 16.
She’ll be exchanging blows with Muleba.
If she successfully defends her title for the record fifth time, she will be allowed to keep the belt forever, as per boxing rules.
Ndobayini has a total of 27 fights. Despite having suffered 12 defeats, she remains champion in the lightweight division.
Ndobayini says she’s looking forward to the fight against her opponent.
“I’m ready for this fight. I’m prepared for this fight. I beat Raider three times. It’s gonna be the fourth time now and I’m looking forward for the national title. I don’t have time to play. Let’s hope she is ready enough for this fight because I think it is the last time I fight her now.”
This will be the fourth opportunity for Muleba of Tshidzini village, outside Thohoyandou in Limpopo, to challenge Ndobayini for same title.
She was defeated in all of her three attempts.
Muleba has fought 20 fights, and only won five of them. She’s, however, confident that this time around, she will be victorious.
“I’m very grateful to get an opportunity to challenge this SA title from this current champion Kholosa Ndobayeni. It won’t be an easy fight for both of us but I need the title.”
The tournament to be staged by Hlanganisa Sports Promotion, will be the first ever professional boxing tournament in Tzaneen.
Promoter James Mathonsi says he is anticipating to get good support.
“It’s the first time in this province to have a female challenge for the South African title. We believe we will have a good support because we have never had a tournament, a professional tournament in Tzaneen, that is why we called it Thriller in Tzaneen.”
Some residents of Tzaneen believe the boxing tournament will provide an opportunity for aspiring boxers to join the sport.
“It is a good initiative. We’ve never had boxing match. It’s a good thing to witness, it’s a blessing. We are going to be there. I’m very grateful and I appreciate it. If boxing is coming here in Nkowankowa, unexpected, they did a good thing to make a boxing match around Nkowankowa.”
In other bouts in the international female none-title fights, Mapule Ngubane will fight Zimbabwean fighter, Monalisa Sibanda. Former three-times champion of the bare-knuckle fist fights known as ‘Musangwe’ Khodani “Cena” Nephalama will have his second fight since he turned professional. Nephalama will fight against Thulani Kwinika.
