A lot can change in five years for a boxer and Mdantsane lass Noni Tenge can attest to that.
Barely five years ago, Tenge’s name was synonymous with boxing success following her fourth round stoppage defeat of New Zealander Daniella Smith to capture the IBF welterweight belt at Carnival City Brakpan, Johannesburg.
Among the dignitaries present to see history unfold was Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula – who used Tenge as the poster girl to launch women boxing in earnest.
After the victory every publication and media house wanted a piece of ‘She Bee Stingin’.
Fast forward to today and Tenge is still a world champion, albeit for minor organisation, but the fanfare that accompanied her fights is virtually non-existent.
This explains the muted reaction to her WBF junior middleweight title defence against Hungarian challenger Szilvia Szabados at ICC in Durban this evening.
Although the fight has historic connotations, as she has become the only female boxer in the land to hold three world title belts, the event is being used as gathering of female boxing personalities to discuss pertinent issues.
But Tenge, who is now 35 years old, does not really care about the lack of fanfare at her fights.
“I am happy at just being active ... it helps me to keep my faculties intact,” she said.
Tenge’s reason’s for parting with her IBF belt have been well documented but the issue still riles her.
“I was paid peanuts for my fight when I won the IBF title but the most painful moment was when I was stripped of the belt,” she recalls.
While her natural weight is welterweight – where she still dreams fighting for a world title held by Norwegian Cecilia Braekhus – every fight now is crucial for her as a call may come anytime from German-promoted world champion.
“This means I will have to keep performing but I cannot afford to underestimate Szabados as Hungarian boxers are tough.”
Having lost five times in 16 bouts, Szabados will come with her own threat especially as Tenge has not performed admirable against international opponents confirmed by her lucky escape against Dominican Republican Oxandia Castillo two years ago.
The disappointing fight came on the heels of a harder than expected body punch that induced nine rounds stoppage of Brazilian Silvia Fernanda Zacarias, which followed her stoppage defeat by American Layla McCarter for the WBA junior middleweight belt.
Tenge admits that she has not performed well against opponents from abroad lately but plans to change all that tonight.
Tenge vows to give it all in KZN bout
Barely five years ago, Tenge’s name was synonymous with boxing success following her fourth round stoppage defeat of New Zealander Daniella Smith to capture the IBF welterweight belt at Carnival City Brakpan, Johannesburg.
Among the dignitaries present to see history unfold was Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula – who used Tenge as the poster girl to launch women boxing in earnest.
After the victory every publication and media house wanted a piece of ‘She Bee Stingin’.
Fast forward to today and Tenge is still a world champion, albeit for minor organisation, but the fanfare that accompanied her fights is virtually non-existent.
This explains the muted reaction to her WBF junior middleweight title defence against Hungarian challenger Szilvia Szabados at ICC in Durban this evening.
Although the fight has historic connotations, as she has become the only female boxer in the land to hold three world title belts, the event is being used as gathering of female boxing personalities to discuss pertinent issues.
But Tenge, who is now 35 years old, does not really care about the lack of fanfare at her fights.
“I am happy at just being active ... it helps me to keep my faculties intact,” she said.
Tenge’s reason’s for parting with her IBF belt have been well documented but the issue still riles her.
“I was paid peanuts for my fight when I won the IBF title but the most painful moment was when I was stripped of the belt,” she recalls.
While her natural weight is welterweight – where she still dreams fighting for a world title held by Norwegian Cecilia Braekhus – every fight now is crucial for her as a call may come anytime from German-promoted world champion.
“This means I will have to keep performing but I cannot afford to underestimate Szabados as Hungarian boxers are tough.”
Having lost five times in 16 bouts, Szabados will come with her own threat especially as Tenge has not performed admirable against international opponents confirmed by her lucky escape against Dominican Republican Oxandia Castillo two years ago.
The disappointing fight came on the heels of a harder than expected body punch that induced nine rounds stoppage of Brazilian Silvia Fernanda Zacarias, which followed her stoppage defeat by American Layla McCarter for the WBA junior middleweight belt.
Tenge admits that she has not performed well against opponents from abroad lately but plans to change all that tonight.
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