Provincial boxing is reeling from the shock the death of woman flyweight boxer Thapelo Bokwe, after reportedly suffering from a severe headache last week.
Bokwe, 25, died as her camp was moving to lodge a complaint to Boxing SA over her removal from the top spot in the latest ratings based on her inactivity.
Her handlers said Bokwe was only active in April when she suffered a second-round stoppage loss to Nomfundo Xaba when Xaba came in overweight for their bout.
According to the ratings criteria, a boxer cannot be removed or demoted if their opponent is overweight in their clash.
Her manager, Siyabulela Makala, who took her under his wing when she was 13 years old, confirmed she did not take the news of her removal well.
“I do not want to attribute her death to that, but afterwards she suddenly suffered a headache and as it worsened, we had to rush her to the hospital,” he said.
Makala, who is renowned for guiding Nxarhuni-boxer Zolisa Batyi to four SA featherweight title defences before losing it to KwaZulu-Natal’s Lindelani Sibisi in East London in May, has been unearthing boxing talent in KwaNojoli (Somerset East ), treating them as his own children.
“Thaphelo was brought to me by her mother at the age of 13 and I took her to school until she passed grade 12 and also paid for her to do post-matric courses.”
After winning numerous medals at the amateur championships, including silver at the national games, Bokwe turned professional in 2023, recording two wins with as many losses.
“In every championship she competed in, she either won the best boxer of the tournament or the best bout.
“To say I am devastated would be putting it mildly. I have even lost the strength to continue with boxing, Makala said.”
Bokwe’s memorial service will be held at the Mdantsane Indoor Centre on Wednesday before her funeral service at Earoville Hall in KwaNojoli on Sunday.
Daily Dispatch
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