Local lass packs quite a punch
Graceland Casino recently came alive during an interesting boxing match between Eastern Cape-born Unathi Myekeni (33 ) and the province's boxing lass Gabisile "Simply the Best" Tshabalala (25), where Myekeni tried in vain to claim back her World Boxing Federation (WBF) World Junior Featherweight title which she relinquished in 2013.
Women are vital, strong and make the world go round in any sphere, be it entertainment, politics, soccer or even boxing. Giving them the opportunity to show their prowess will definitely produce world champions.
Graceland Casino recently came alive during an interesting boxing match between Eastern Cape-born Unathi Myekeni (33 ) and the province’s boxing lass Gabisile “Simply the Best” Tshabalala (25), where Myekeni tried in vain to claim back her World Boxing Federation (WBF) World Junior Featherweight title which she relinquished in 2013.
They were both eager to win the title but at the end only one could be crowned the winner, and this time around Tshabalala made Mpumalanga proud.
As expected Myekeni voiced her dissatisfaction over the results during an interview with Dispath Live on September 11, where she said her opponent knew deep down that she hadn’t beaten her. “Gabisile did not come to fight, but to run a marathon. I had never fought someone who ran that much. There is a difference between using lateral movement and literally running. She did the latter,” she said.
The boxer added that the referee even warned the winner three times and threatened to disqualify her if she continued to turn her back on her (Myekeni) because in boxing that is interpreted as quitting.
She said she wasn’t given enough time to prepare for the match, stating that she had only received notice of the match eight days before the fight. “I pushed myself to be ready because, first, my title that was stripped from me was at stake and secondly, having listened to what Gabisile had been saying about me I expected her to bring it on and not run,” she said.
Boxing SA chairperson Muditambi Ravele said the fight between Tshabalala and Myekeni was brilliant and outshone veteran Mzonke Fana’s fight against the mediocre Tanzanian Said Zungu for the WBF International Lightweight bout. “Imagine if female boxers were given the opportunity to appear in every tournament in the country.
“We would produce world champions almost every month because most titles are vacant and our boxers would be right up there,” said Ravele who was a ringside guest in Mpumalanga.
