World Boxing Federation (WBF) women’s bantamweight champion Bukiwe ‘‘Anaconda’’ Nonina is confident that she is going to make it three out of three at the South African Boxing Awards ceremony, which is being held at the Sandton Convention Centre on May 17.
Winner of the 2016 and 2017 Female Boxer of the Year award is competing for the same gong against current South African woman’s bantamweight queen Melissa Miller and Thema Zuma.
The 27-year-old Nonina beat Mapule Ngubane and veteran Noni Tenge to walk away with the award at the last edition of the awards held at the Boardwalk Casino and Hotel in Port Elizabeth.
She beat Leighandre Jegels and Sharadene Fortuin to bag the same award at the 2016 South African Boxing Awards ceremony at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.
‘‘I must say that it is great being nominated for the third successive year. This is not a tight competition and this award is mine and everybody knows that. I’m confident of winning this award again even though I’m worried about Melissa,’’ Nonina said.
Dutywa-born Nonina didn’t get much action in the period under review for the awards. She only fought once when she beat Ellen Simwaka during her defence of her WBF crown in August last year.
On the other hand, Miller has described her nomination as an awesome experience.
‘‘This is awesome for me, especially now that I never expected to be nominated even though I believe that I did well in the past two years. ‘I’m competing for this award against good boxers, however I’m confident of winning as I did very well in the past year or so,’’ Miller, who won the Female Prospect of the Year award at the 2016 edition, said.
Miller fought twice and won both fights beating Sindisiwe Ncube and Zuma in the preview under review for the awards.
Meanwhile, Zuma has said that she was shocked when she was informed that she had made it into the final three in two categories, the Female Boxer of the Year and Female Prospect of the Year.
‘‘I’m very happy to have been nominated in two categories. I’m confident that I’m going to win in one of the two categories I’m nominated in,’’ Zuma said.
Zuma won four times against Nothando Ndlovu, Nathalina Bania and Cynthia Mthembu twice and lost once to Miller during the period under review for the awards.
