South African boxer Bernice ‘The Badger’ Ferreira says that one of the most difficult periods of her journey came during her amateur career, when she trained for years but managed to secure only two fights, reports Northcliff Melville Times.

She returned to her roots by visiting the Hugenote Amateur Boxing Club in Brixton on Thursday (October 8).

The club played a fundamental role in her development, she says, teaching her the skills and discipline that laid the foundation for her professional success.

“Everything that I know, I learned in this gym. I would not be the boxer that I am if I was not here for the time that I was here.”

However, she had few opportunities to compete during her amateur career. Despite turning up at the club and putting in the work, opportunities to compete remained limited, leaving her questioning whether she should continue.

Her fortunes began to change when she turned professional, allowing her to secure more fights and begin building the career she had long envisioned.

However, Ferreira says navigating professional boxing brought its own challenges, as securing fights was only part of the battle. Finding the right opponents and people capable of opening doors to meaningful opportunities proved equally important.

“There is no point in having so many fights if they’re not the right fights,” she says.

Ferreira explains that connections within the sport can make a significant difference, helping boxers secure opportunities that can move their careers forward. She credits having the right team around her as an important factor in reaching the level required to compete for world championships.

Her breakthrough came when she captured the IBO world title on May 11, fulfilling a lifelong ambition to prove that she belonged among the world’s best.

Ferreira says she always believed she could become a world champion, but winning the title gave her the opportunity to demonstrate it.

Winning the WBC world title later added another milestone to her career, elevating her achievements and reinforcing her belief that she could continue reaching new heights. She says the second championship taught her that achieving one goal should not mean stopping there, but rather setting new targets.

The journey, however, has required more than ability inside the ring. Ferreira credits her family for instilling confidence in her from a young age, describing them as a close-knit support system that encourages and motivates one another.

She also pointed to her faith, preparation and willingness to embrace difficult challenges as essential parts of her mindset.

Also read: South Africa’s first female unified world boxing champion Bernice Ferreira makes history

Now, Ferreira hopes her story can encourage aspiring boxers who feel overlooked or discouraged by a lack of opportunities. She believes her experience shows that a difficult start does not have to determine the outcome of a person’s life, provided they remain committed to their goals and surround themselves with people who believe in them.

Her advice to young people is rooted in the lesson she learned through years of uncertainty. “Where you come from doesn’t determine where you’re going, and your beginning doesn’t determine your end.”

With two world titles already to her name and further championship ambitions ahead, Ferreira’s journey shows how persistence is required to turn years of frustration into success at the highest level of professional boxing.

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