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Smangele Hadebe ready for smash-and-grab

Smangele ‘Smash’ Hadebe (L) has no plans to undermine her next opponent, Noxolo Makhanavu.
Smangele ‘Smash’ Hadebe (L) has no plans to undermine her next opponent, Noxolo Makhanavu.
Image: Jeremy Bean

There is nothing more difficult for a fighter than to prepare for someone who is a closed book to them, but that is where a trainer must show his mettle.

Smart trainers will go into that fight armed with more than one game plan so that they are able to adjust to any style the opponent applies.

Smangele "Smash" Hadebe finds herself in that situation going into an SA flyweight championship against holder Noxolo Makhanavu at Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape on August 31.

Hadebe, from KwaThema in Springs, who is trained in Booysens by Lionel Hunter, does not know Makhanavu and says she has not even seen the champion in action. But she in pinning her hopes on Hunter, a trainer of the year award nominee for 2018.

Hadebe says Hunter made sure that she is ready for anything by organising sparring sessions with boxers who have various fighting styles, including SA middleweight holder Walter Dlamini.

"I will not undermine Noxolo at all but one thing I can tell you, a new champion will be crowned," said Hadebe, female prospect of the year in 2017 and 2018.

Hadebe failed in her attempt to dethrone Bukiwe Nonina as the national bantamweight champion in 2016.

She says she will not let a second opportunity to win a national title pass her by.

"That is enough motivation for me and I will do whatever it takes to make good use of it," said Hadebe.

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