Boxing fraternity won’t forget August 2026, says BSA chair Ayanda Khumalo

The fight fraternity won’t forget August 2026 due to its bittersweet memories, says Boxing SA chairperson Ayanda Khumalo.

Celebrated as Women’s Month, August has become known as the month when females inside and outside the ring get busy. It began in 2007 with the inaugural Women Only tournament staged by Mbali “Don Queen” Zantsi in Durban, where boxers like Noni “She Bee Stingin’” Tenge and Unathi ”African Queen” Myekeni and Bomkazi Klass have made their professional debuts.

Male fighters, meanwhile — like Phillip “No Deal” Holiday, Gary “The Heat” Murray, Simon “Cheetah” Ramoni, Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu, Malcolm “The Stone” Klassen, Isaac “Angel” Hlatswayo and Ludumo “Pretty Boy” Galada —won world titles from different boxing bodies in August.

A fortnight ago, on August 15, IBO junior lightweight world champ Bernice “The Badger” Ferreira became SA’s first female WBC world champion. She also became Africa’s first ever unified world female champion after ending the reign of Caroline Veyre in in Atlanta, Georgia, in the US.

“That was and still is a proud moment for all of us in the boxing fraternity, but more importantly it shows young girls that there is a place for them in boxing and that they can dream of reaching the very top,” Khumalo said after the bout.

We know the talent and dedication that exists among our female boxing licensees, and we want them to take their places on the world stage. Bernice has paved the way for them

—  Rina Subotzky, BSA women in boxing committee chair

Rina Subotzky, chairperson of the Boxing South Africa (BSA) women in boxing committee, said: “Her win not only makes us feel extremely proud but also enormously hopeful and optimistic for the future.

“We know the talent and dedication that exists among our female boxing licensees, and we want them to take their places on the world stage. Bernice has paved the way for them.”

Ferreira is the first female boxer under Colin “Nomakanjani” Nathan’s No Doubt Management to win that most-sought-after green and gold WBC belt. Formed in 2018, Nathan’s company has produced WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO world champions.

“Bernice’s upset result has had a great ripple effect, with people noticing South African fighters showing off their abilities — not only to compete but to win outside their native country in hostile territories, in massive events and on global platforms such as DAZN,” Nathan said.

However, August will also be remembered for the tragic death of former two-division boxing world champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete, 38, last week which left the country reeling.

Tete, who won the WBF flyweight, IBF junior bantamweight and WBO bantamweight belts, was gunned down in front of his house in Mdantsane. He is the fourth boxer from that area to die in a shooting, the others being Zolani Marali, Leighandre “Baby Lee” Jegels and Mfusi Maxhayi.

Jegels was shot dead by her boyfriend in 2019.

Marali, a former IBO and WBF junior featherweight and IBO junior lightweight holder, was shot dead at his flat in Johannesburg in 2022.

Maxhayi, who held the WBF Intercontinental and IBO International bantam weight belts, was killed by the gun in Mdantsane in 2023.

Tete was buried at the weekend.

“The month of August this year will never be forgotten — not only for the passing of a boxing great but also for a historic moment in South African women’s boxing,” said Khumalo.

Sowetan