Events are aligning in a positive and satisfactory manner for McAusland Boxing Gym in Kibler Park, south of Johannesburg, says gym owner and award-winning boxing manager Colleen McAusland.
She said reigning 2023 Female Boxer of the Year Smangele Hadebe will be involved in a history- making match on August 30 at Klipriviersberg Recreation Centre in Johannesburg.
She will fight for the WBC Africa vacant flyweight title. "That's the new belt which has just been created," said McAusland, whose boxer was the first here to win the fully fledged African Boxing Union belt in 2014.
Hadebe went a step further when she fought for the World Boxing Council silver title – a 10-rounder she lost on points to Gabriela Sànchez Saaverda in Mexico.
Hadebe's upcoming title fight will form part of a tournament that will be staged jointly by three female promoters – Thanyani Marageni, Sbongile Matiti and Melissa Miller.
Their joint event is part of Boxing SA's Women in Boxing Series (WiB) which was launched last week.
The up-coming tournament will be part of Women's Month celebrations. Former WBU featherweight champ Gabisile "Simply the Best" Tshabalala and Leean Jansen "Mshoza" van Vuuren will feature in that tournament.
"Smash", as Hadebe is affectionately known in the boxing space, first raised eyebrows when she won Boxing SA's Female Prospect of the Year award in succession – in 2018 and 2019.
McAusland's other two boxers – Bonita van Jaarsveldt and Monica Mkandla – are finalists in the 19th edition of the GSport Awards in the Special Recognition and African Women in Sport categories.
McAusland is the finalist in the Woman of the Year category.
Said the 2019 BSA Manager of the Year: "The Women in Boxing Series is starting on a positive and I am excited. I am happy for Smash because she has not been fortunate to feature in previous tournaments that were part of the series."
McAusland was referring to the Rise of Women in Boxing Series which was launched in 2023. "There's also three members from our gym who have been nominated in the GSport awards. We are making history."
Her establishment is also home to 2023 Male Prospect of the Year and recently crowned IBO junior middleweight champ Donjuan "Iron Dragon" van Heerden, and 2023 Trainer of the Year Khangelani Jack.
SowetanLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.