Ferreira has good chance to win unification bout against Veyre
SA has a good chance of producing its first unified world female boxing champion on Saturday night (Sunday morning in SA).
IBO junior-lightweight champ Bernice “The Badger” Ferreira has an even chance of defeating WBC junior-lightweight holder Caroline “Caro” Veyre at State Farm Arena in Atlanta in the US.
The two fighters’ records suggest that their unification bout — the first to feature female boxers — is evenly matched.
Ferreira’s foe, French-born Veyre, who fights out of Montreal as a Canadian citizen, won a gold medal as an amateur at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Ferreira, 34, has recorded four stoppages in her 10 wins, while 37-year-old Veyre is yet to win a bout by a short route.
“Ferreira embodies the unyielding grit of modern South African sport.” — Boxing SA CEO Tsholofelo Lejaka
She has won all her eleven fights on points, with only a single defeat.
Veyre uses a fast, consistent jab and clean straight punches to neutralise aggressive, pressure-heavy fighters.
She won the vacant WBC belt in February by securing a unanimous decision victory over Delfine Persoon of Belgium.
She was crowned the IBO champ in May after defeating tough-as-teak Malawian Ellen Simwaka on points in their closely contested 10-round fight at the Wild Coast Sun in the Eastern Cape
Boxing SA CEO Tsholofelo Lejaka said: “Ferreira embodies the unyielding grit of modern South African sport.
“Her journey, from navigating a scarcity of local opponents in her youth to claiming international glory, is testimony to how high a girl child can fly, with adequate support and relevant opportunities.
“She will once more step into the global arena for a monumental world title unification pursuit.”
Ferreira is managed by Colin “Nomakanjani” Nathan of No Doubt Management and trained by Arafaat Koch.