Local female boxer Rider Muleba is calling for a rematch against Bernice Ferreira, who defeated her by technical knock-out on Saturday, 27 September, in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.
The fight, scheduled over six rounds, lasted only two. From the start, Ferreira dominated, and the referee stopped the bout in the second round as Ferreira unleashed a flurry of powerful punches from all angles.
Ferreira began aggressively, giving Muleba little time to recover. The first round may have seemed to go Muleba's way after she landed a punch that felled Ferreira, prompting a count of four from the referee. Ferreira quickly recovered and turned the fight in her favour. In the second round, she knocked Muleba to the canvas with a strong punch, leading to the fight's immediate stoppage.
Muleba said she felt "cheated" and demanded a rematch. "I slipped once, and the referee didn't count. She stopped the fight immediately. When my opponent fell down, the referee counted to four, but for me she didn't count," she said.
Since joining the male-dominated sport in 2008 and turning professional in 2009, Muleba has had 22 fights, winning nine, drawing one, and losing 12.
Ferreira said she was ready for a rematch if requested. She described the fight as a "pound-for-pound" contest, highlighting her jabbing skills and professionalism. "I have defended my title and that's it," she said.