Bert Collins Boxing Club hosted its first boxing tournament of the year on February 28, welcoming fighters from across Brakpan, Tsakani, Eswatini, Mbombela, Rustenburg, and beyond.

The event opened with an exciting clash between Junior Nseka Bodja and Thamsanqa Mkwalo, both of whom displayed impressive skill and determination. Mkwalo secured a dominant victory.

“It went better than I expected. I’m still going to work hard to climb the rankings. He was taller, so I had to focus on working the body. I’ll definitely be building my stamina,” Mkwalo said.

Bodja admitted that the pressure of opening the tournament played a role in his performance. However, he reflected positively on the experience, noting that he identified both his strengths and areas for improvement and plans to go back to the drawing board.

Out of the three Bert Collins boxers – JT Mienie, Eugene Scholtz, and Tiaan Scholtz – Mienie emerged victorious after an intense bout against Andre Mare. Meanwhile, both Eugene and Tiaan fell short against their respective opponents.

Reflecting on the team’s performance, Jeanette Dyzel praised the boxers’ efforts. Despite Eugene’s narrow 2 – 1 loss, she highlighted his strong showing.

“Eugene boxed like a professional, especially considering he is still a beginner boxer. He went up against a gold boxer who had already competed in the SA Championships. His footwork was excellent – the only thing he lacked was aggressiveness, which he began to show in the third round,” she said.

Dyzel also shared her ambitions for the year ahead.

“I’m looking forward to building some champions this year, as I’ve already entered several of the boxers into upcoming championships,” she added.