Angered by five defeats of her compariots, South Africa’s Thandolwethu Mathiba (pictured) turned on the heat to knock out Belarus’ Ana Burim in the second round of their flyweight bout in Kazan to qualify for the final.
“Mathiba fought in the semis because they were only four in her division, ” the manager of South Africa’s team, Michelle Rossouw told *_AFBC Communications_* from Kazan.
Mathiba carried the fight to the Belarus boxer with a relentless flurry of punches, forcing her to rely on her bike to avoid the stinging blows. It therefore came as no surprise when Mathiba sent Burim to sleep in the second round.
She’s the only South African boxer who won her bout today.
Others in action later, welterweight Siphamandla Damesi was outpointed by Azerbaijan’s Nabi Isgandarov while female flyweight Ntandankosi Ncube was stopped in the second round by India’s Jyoti.
Credit: AFBC Communications
