History will be made in boxing on Saturday night, specifically on the female side, when Namhla Tyuluba takes her seat as the third judge for the World Boxing Council (WBC) world title fight.
Kevin “Two Guns” Lerena and Senad “Gachine Gun” Gashi from Germany will fight for the WBC interim bridgerweight title at Emperors Palace.
This will be only the third WBC title fight to take place in SA. The first was in 2000 when Dingaan Thobela ended the reign of Englishman Glen Catley as the super middleweight champion in Brakpan where Hasim Rahman dethroned Lennox Lewis as the WBC and IBF heavyweight champion. Thabo Spampool was the third judge in the Rahman-Lewis fight.
A number of female ring officials had to contend with discriminatory rules and attitudes, including the infamous Boxing Act of 1954 that barred women from being part of the game at any level.
Duncan Village, born Siya Vabaza-Booi, broke down those barriers and became the first ring official. Booi has since unapologetically cracked it big by winning multiple awards and Tyuluba is her protégé.
Tyuluba is from Mdantsane but is now based in Johannesburg. She has done well for herself although she has constantly come under fire for her conduct, especially as a referee.
Her appointment by the Mexico-based boxing body makes her the first female in the country to be a judge in a WBC title fight.
WBC representative doctor Peter Ngatane – who will supervise the fight on Saturday night – announced Tyuluba’s appointment. Born in Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape, this former amateur boxer, said no one did her a favour.
“I believe I deserve this chance,” she said. “I am so happy with this opportunity by the WBC. It shows that I am working hard as a ring official. Such opportunities for us women are scarce.”
Other judges are Adensaje Olesugon from Nigeria and Robert Veruijs of the Netherlands. Mike Griffiths from Canada will be the referee.
Tyuluba caught the attention and support from Ngatane in February last year when she refereed the African Boxing Union flyweight title fight, which Smangele “Smash” Hadebe won on points against Tanzanian Halima Vunjabel in Fourways.
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