Boxing once again proved it is more than just a sport, as women in the ring used a high-profile tournament to advance the fight against gender-based violence (GBV), celebrating justice, survivor resilience, and community action.
The anti-GBV boxing tournament, staged during the month of love, was deliberately designed to challenge conventional ideas of romance, instead promoting protection, accountability, and collective responsibility.
Award-winning boxing manager, victim empowerment counsellor, and GBV and child abuse activist Colleen McAusland said the timing of the event was intentional. “When we were planning the event, we always knew we wanted to do something in the month of love.
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“We asked ourselves what love really means. It’s not something mushy or gushy. In the climate we live in, with so much violence in our country, we realised how important it is to use the platforms we have to shine a light on issues that matter to our communities.”
She said this led organisers to redefine love as action, rather than sentiment. “Love is protection. Love is showing up for one another. Love is using your platform to shine a light on important issues. Love is not selfish.” She added that the event needed to be anti-violence, and speak to the true essence of boxing, not what it has been contorted to be.
The tournament also highlighted the powerful role boxing can play in survivor empowerment. Professional boxer and abuse survivor Simangele ‘Smash’ Hadebe continues to use her platform to support abused women and children, including playing a key role in encouraging an 11-year-old sexual abuse survivor to find the strength to testify in court, a case that ultimately led to the successful conviction of the perpetrator.
Beyond the fights themselves, McAusland said the event was designed to be an immersive experience, with a halftime show set to be broadcast and live streamed, along with activities encouraging audience participation. “This is about more than just observing; it’s about participating, engaging, and showing up, whether it’s for victims of violence, for the boxers who need the country’s buy-in, or even for yourself, by doing something meaningful in the month of love.”
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The event will be hosted by Fighters Club Boxing Promotions on February 28 and will take place at the Silver Lakes Farm Hotel. Known for organising boxing events across the country, including areas such as Fourways, Fighters Club consistently brings top-tier action to local fans.
The headline bout sees Hadebe take on Sibulele Soboise, a match-up McAusland described as carefully selected. “We were passionate about giving Smash the opportunity to showcase her skills and defend her title. Of the opponents available, we felt Sibulele would give her the best run for her money. We’re expecting a great fight.”
While GBV remains a national crisis, McAusland believes the focus must now shift from awareness to action. “People know this is happening. What we need now is greater buy-in from communities to actively put an end to it.”
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