It was another busy weekend for the World Boxing Federation (WBF), as one International, two All Africa and one World championship fight found winners in South Africa and France between Friday evening May 27 and Sunday afternoon May 29. Friday, in Klerksdorp in South Africa’s Gauteng province, former WBF International Champion Frans Ramabola added the WBF All Africa Super Welterweight title to his short but impressive ledger, having also won and defended a WBA regional belt, when he beat Cape Town-based Chris Mugisho from D.R. Congo. Promoted by TK Promotions, the fight was high-paced as Ramabola boxed aggressively but disciplined and never let Mugishu find his rhythm. While not totally one-sided, it was clear from early on that Mugishu would likely need to hurt Ramabola to make things go his way.
After twelve rounds of boxing, judges Thabo Spampool, Ben Ncapai and Boitumelo Madiba scored the fight 118-112, 118-112 and 116-114 respectively, all for Frans Ramabola. Referee in charge of the action was Simon Mokadi.
Ramabola, a pro for less than two years but with five title fights already, improved his record to 7-1 (2). His only loss was a brave challenge for the WBF Intercontinental title last February against compatriot Nkuleko Mhlongo. Mugisho falls to 5-2-1 (1).
Saturday night saw WBF Womens World Light Flyweight Champion Anne Sophie Da Costa make a successful first defense of her title in front of a sold-out crowd at the Gymnasse Frederique Bronquart in Tinquex, France, only a few miles from her hometown Reims, fending off Soledad Macedo from Uruguay.
Da Costa, also a former WBF World Strawweight titlist, constantly pressured her challenger, and while Macedo proved competent and willing she was always a step behind. Not having to shed the same amount of weight as earlier in her career, Da Costa appeared more energetic and aggressive.
While she never looked close to stopping Macedo, the champion was in full control throughout, and judges Christophe Hembert, Jean-Marcel Nartz and Smail Alitouche all had her winning clearly by scores of 98-92, 99-91 and 99-91. Referee was Toni Tiberi.
With the victory, 33-year-old Da Costa took her impressive professional record to 21-2 (9), while “La Negra” Macedo lost her fourth world championship challenge, having previously contested WBA, WBC and IBF versions, and drops to a very deceiving 13-12-1 (4).
On Sunday it was back to South Africa where Nelson Mandela Metro Promoters Association staged a WBF championship double-header at the Lilian Ngoyi Hall in the Kwazakele township in Port Elizabeth, featuring match-ups with plenty of local pride also on the line.
Former Eastern Cape champion Mzoxolo Ndwayana won the vacant WBF International Welterweight title, and improved his professional record to 15-2-2 (10), by defeating hard-punching former South African national title-challenger Anelisa Gungqisa, 8-4-1 (7).
Ndwayana was strong as an ox and showed vicious power in both hands, as he decided to brawl with his brave adversary. But in round five he landed a picture-perfect body shot which send Gungqisa down, and referee Steven Simon consequently stopped the fight.
In the co-featured attraction, experienced and rugged Flyweight Xola Sifama beat undefeated prospect Mfundo Mbengashe for the vacant WBF All Africa title, taking his record to 14-8-2 (9) in the process. Mbengashe, biting off more than he was ready to chew, drops to 4-1 (2).
Sifama started slow and lost the first two rounds, before picking up his game and floored Mbengashe in rounds three and six, and three times in round seven to force the stoppage from referee Nkoinathi Zamela and the technical knockout victory.