World boxing champ Bernice Ferreira arrives home ‘cruising for a snoozing’

Victorious, bruised and exhausted, unified world champion Bernice Ferreira had just one celebratory activity on her mind when she touched down at OR Tambo Airport on Monday night: getting some sleep.

Ferreira , holder of the marginal International Boxing Organisation (IBO) title, lifted the World Boxing Council (WBC) women’s super-featherweight belt in Atlanta on Saturday night when Canadian Caroline Veyre was disqualified in the eighth round for holding.

The champion had had points deducted for the same transgression in the fourth and seventh rounds, but the ending still came as a surprise for the South African.

“I was confused, I didn’t know what had happened,” the 34-year-old said on her return. “I was starting to get going.”

Asked if she had any special celebrations planned, Ferreira replied without hesitation: “Sleep! I’m so tired.”

Manager Colin Nathan said he had asked referee Malik Waleed in the dressing room before the fight to watch out for Veyre’s holding.

Ironically, Waleed had been the third man in the ring when Moruti Mthalane, who was in Nathan’s stable at the time, reclaimed the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight title in Kuala Lumpur 2018.

While Ferreira’s first defence has yet to be decided, Nathan was confident that his charge would win by stoppage should she get a rematch against Veyre.

“Veyre holds her opponents as part of her fight strategy. If she is not allowed to hold, Bernice is going to knock her out.”

Nathan confirmed that US-based Salita Promotions had options on Ferreira for two fights.