Carletonville’s Charmaine Venter ready for professional EFC debut against Nepal’s Anisha Khadka
World amateur champion Charmaine Venter steps into the professional ranks as she faces Nepal's Anisha Khadka in a featherweight bout at EFC 135 in Sandton.
Carletonville mixed martial arts fighter Charmaine Venter is set to take on Nepal’s Anisha Khadka in a featherweight bout at the EFC 135 event in Sandton on July 2.
The 32-year-old athlete, who trains with the Fight Street MMA Club, won the amateur world title in Georgia last year before choosing to turn professional earlier this year.
The live event begins at around 19:00 on the SuperSport 10 channel, while fans can also catch earlier action on the EFC’s live YouTube channel in the afternoon. Speaking to the Herald on Monday, the consistently positive Venter shared her excitement for the match, noting that her opponent seems very pleasant. Venter holds a reach advantage in the contest, as Khadka is the shorter fighter.
Reaching this level of fitness and skill has required immense dedication from Venter, who balances her training with a full-time job at Master Drilling in Fochville. She explained that her preparation was far more intense than her build-up to the World Championships.
“I also had to adjust my diet, cutting back on carbs and sugar,” Venter said. She described the training as tough, adding that her trainer, Shihan Chimmy van Winkel, and coach, Francois Ackerman, frequently stepped in to help sharpen her skills.
Venter successfully weighed in on Wednesday morning. Her trainer, Van Winkel, expressed confidence ahead of the fight despite a few setbacks caused by winter illnesses during their preparations.
“We are very positive despite having some ups and downs. I expect very positive results, and from there we will take it step by step. She is an inspiration to the upcoming young fighters, especially the girls at our club,” says Van Winkel.
He stated that he expects a very positive result and plans to take things step by step from there. He also described Venter as an inspiration to young upcoming fighters, particularly the girls at their club. Looking to the future, Van Winkel hopes to see more girls take up the fast-growing sport, noting that there is excellent talent waiting to be discovered in the Carletonville area.
