Ngatane says Ferreira’s win opens global boxing doors
Bernice “The Badger” Ferreira could have punched her ticket to real fame and fortune by winning the WBC junior lightweight belt in a high-profile tournament that featured mega star Claressa Shields at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday morning.
This is according to WBC board governor, doctor and former Boxing SA board chair Malefetsane Ngatane.
“Heavyweight promoters could have been there and seen what Ferreira is made of,” he said.
“If you fight in such a high-profile tournament, featuring an accomplished boxer like Shields, promoters look at you for a future appearance in their shows.
“Chances of her defending outside home are there, and that is how she will be able to make good money.”
The purse money for her unification fight against Caroline Vyer has not been publicly disclosed by promoters or athletic commissions.
Ngatane hopes Ferreira will have the opportunity to defend without threats of her title being stripped because of non-defence.
He said financial muscle is a big issue for SA world boxing champions defending their titles at home.
Ngatane said Dewald Mostert and Vini Grogor paid a lot to stage WBC championship fights here.
Mostert staged Kevin Lerena’s successful WBC bridgerweight title fight against Ukrainian Serhiy Radchenko at SunBet Arena in Pretoria on May 1 last year.
Grogor brought WBF mini flyweight champ Melvin Jerusalem from the Philippines to defend against Siyakholwa Kuse on March 16 at Emperors Palace, where Kuse ended his reign on points.
“Everything is done in dollars,“ said Ngatane. “Let’s say Jerusalem demanded $100,000 (R1.6m) to come here.”
Mexican WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman attended the tournament staged by Grogor’s Golden Gloves.
“As a WBC board member, I am very proud that slowly South Africans are getting into the game of the WBC,” said Ngatane.
Ferreira’s victory, which came by way of Vyer being disqualified in round eight for constant holding, made Ferreira the first female in SA to win the WBC belt.
She is the first in Africa to unify belts and the third WBC African female champ. The first two were Zambian Catherine Phiri, followed by Kudakwashe Chiwandire from Zimbabwe.
Boxing SA board chair Ayanda Khumalo said: “What a historic moment. She has made us super proud.”
Shields is widely regarded as one of the best female fighters in history.
Nicknamed “The GWOAT” (Greatest Woman of All Time), the American recaptured the WBC and WBA middleweight world belts.
She stopped Australian Kaye Scott in the sixth round, becoming the first undisputed champion in three divisions of the four-belt era.