Ramakuela tastes her own medicine

Mashudu “KO Girl” Ramakuela tasted her own medicine when she was knocked out in the second round by the South African Female Lightweight Champion Nozipho Bell at Gqeberha on Sunday afternoon. 

Before the fight, Ramakuela had knocked out five of her previous opponents. She had a good report card with five knockouts, one draw and two losses.

The challenger had the champion in big trouble in the first round on Sunday. Bell was saved by the bell after suffering some painful blows.

Sensing an opportunity to finish the match early, Ramakuela went for a knockout, leaving herself open to left hooks and right uppercuts. She was caught with a deadly right punch that sent her wobbling down to the canvas. 

Her trainer, John “Smoking Joe” Nemakonde, said his boxer had been leading on points when the incident happened. “She was doing very well until she was hit by a lucky punch and it was all over. But we are going back to the gym to rectify our mistakes. We will be better prepared next time,” he said.

Shortly after arriving in Thohoyandou on Monday morning, Ramakuela said her opponent had just been lucky to win. “But the defeat did not make any dent in my boxing career. I will go back to the ring and do what I love most, which is boxing,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ramakuela’s stablemate, Ntshidzeni Mashila, made his debut in the professional ranks with a victory. He knocked out Lineman Bono in the second round. Mashila said he had caught his opponent with his lethal right hand and he had known that the fight was over. “His mistake was trying to go toe to toe with me. When I jabbed him with my left, I knew that he would open his right jaw and the moment I connected, I knew he would fall,” he said.

Date:21 December 2022

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