By Chris Totobela
She believed she could win another national title at last week’s South African National Boxing Organisation’s (Sanabo) National Boxing Championship in Limpopo, and her confidence paid dividends because Makhanda’s teen boxing star Sangenathi Valela is a national champion in the 60kg weight class.
“I am ready for these championships and I know how tough it is going to be, but I know what I’m capable of. After beating a former national champion in the provincial championships, I realised how strong I am and I believe that I can do it in Limpopo and be crowned national champion in the 60kg category,” Valela told Grocott’s Mail last month.
It is the second consecutive year the 15-year-old has been crowned national champion.
Last year, in December, she won the title in the 54kg weight class in Mpumalanga.
Sanabo is the responsible body for amateur boxing in South Africa.
To wear the crown this time around, Valela, a grade 9 Ntsika Secondary School pupil, again had to face stiff competition.
In the semi finals, she came up against a tough opponent from KwaZulu Natal, Qondeni Msane. Valela won the bout on points, setting up a date with Gauteng’s Mitchell Mosomo.
She stopped Mosomo in the second round to claim the 60kg national title.
Speaking to Grocott’s Mail at training in Makhanda, a day after she returned, Valela shared her tough journey to the title.
“I struggled a lot with the heat, and the tournament took place outdoors and it was difficult for me as I’m not used to that kind of heat.”
Her talent and top-drawer boxing skills came to her aid.
“I used my effective one-two combination and I noticed that she was not a clean fighter and she disrupted my rhythm, and I decided to use more body blows and it worked as I knocked her out with body blows. I was a bit nervous before the final but I remembered how hard I trained for that moment and also thought about the people back home who had put all their hopes on me and the nerves just disappeared.”
She was over the moon when she was finally crowned the South African champion. “I was so excited and I can’t even explain the feeling I had.”
Valela thanked her coaches, team mates, family and the people of Makhanda who prayed for her for the duration of the tournament. “I really appreciate everyone’s support.”
Valela has vowed to defend her title in 2025 and has already started training. She also shared a message with other young sports men and women. “You don’t just sleep and wake up as a South African champion. It takes a lot of discipline and hard work, dedication and commitment, and you need to know what you exactly want to achieve,” she said.
