‘This Is Very Historic’: BSA Hails Bernice Ferreira’s WBC Triumph as Major Milestone for Women’s Boxing
Boxing South Africa (BSA) has hailed Bernice Ferreira’s historic WBC super-featherweight world title triumph as a major milestone for the growth of women’s boxing in the country.
Ferreira made history on Saturday, 15 August, when she defeated defending champion Caroline Veyre at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, becoming the first South African woman to win the prestigious WBC green and gold belt.
Speaking to SizaNazo365 on Monday, BSA Chief Operations Officer (COO) Mandla Ntlanganiso said Ferreira’s achievement was particularly significant because it came during Women’s Month in South Africa.
“This is very historic for Bernice to have achieved this, and it happens during Women’s Month in South Africa, a month when we are celebrating our women,” Ntlanganiso said.
“From our end, we are very much delighted with this achievement and to us it proves that there is growth in the female boxing fraternity in South Africa. It means that the growth of female boxing in South Africa is really taking shape in terms of what we want to achieve.”
BSA sees wider significance
The 34-year-old Johannesburg fighter, known as “The Badger”, stopped Veyre in the eighth round of their scheduled 10-round contest.
Referee Malik Waleed ended the fight at 1:04 of the eighth round, disqualifying the Canadian for persistent excessive holding after she had already been deducted two points for the infringement.
The victory extended Ferreira’s perfect professional record to 11 wins from 11 fights and saw her add the WBC title to the IBO super-featherweight championship she won against Ellen Simwaka in May.
Ferreira had previously captured the South African super-featherweight title in November 2025.
For BSA, however, the significance of the victory extends beyond Ferreira’s individual accomplishments.
Ntlanganiso believes the timing of the achievement has provided another reason to celebrate Women’s Month while putting South African and African boxing on the global stage.
“Happening again in a very historic month, Women’s Month, is giving us more mileage to really celebrate Women’s Month,” he said.
“We are saying that this is the kind of direction we need. She has made us proud and we see South African boxing and African boxing taking centre stage.”
Bernice Ferreira became the unified WBC and IBO women’s super-featherweight world champion after defeating Caroline Veyre (Graphic: SizaNazo365 | Image: Bernice Ferreira/Facebook)
Ferreira an inspiration to next generation
The BSA official also believes Ferreira’s success could have a lasting impact on aspiring fighters, particularly young women looking to establish themselves in the sport.
Ntlanganiso described the WBC championship as one of the most prestigious achievements a boxer can attain and said Ferreira had become an important ambassador for South African boxing.
“People will know that there is female boxing happening in this country, and one of our own has managed to really be a good ambassador for South African boxing,” he said.
“This is very encouraging to the young upcoming female boxers, to her peers, even those that are males as well. Because to be crowned the WBC champion in any country is one of the prestigious boxing achievements one can get.”
Ferreira’s victory over Veyre, a Tokyo 2020 Olympian and 2015 Pan American Games gold medallist who won the vacant WBC title in February, has therefore given BSA more than another world champion to celebrate.
For the sport’s governing body, it is a sign that the development of women’s boxing in South Africa is beginning to deliver results on the biggest international stage.