Bernice Ferreira wins WBC super-featherweight title in Atlanta

South African boxer Bernice Ferreira is the new WBC Super Featherweight World Champion after defeating Canada’s Caroline Veyre by disqualification in Atlanta. The fight ended in the eighth round at State Farm Arena, where it featured on the Claressa Shields-Kaye Scott card.

Veyre began the contest as the reigning champion and made the stronger start, using firm body punches to establish herself. Ferreira kept applying pressure as the bout developed into a physical contest between the two super-featherweights.

The referee repeatedly had to separate Veyre from Ferreira because of frequent clinching. The Canadian was first penalised in the fourth round, when one point was taken from her for the infraction.

The pattern did not stop in the later rounds. Veyre was docked two further points before the referee ended the contest in the eighth, ruling that the continued clinching warranted a disqualification. Ferreira was therefore awarded the victory and took the WBC belt from the Canadian.

The result keeps Ferreira unbeaten as she moves to 11 professional wins, including four by knockout. It also gives the South African a world championship in a division where she now starts a new phase of her career.

For Veyre, the defeat was only the second of her professional career and leaves her with an 11-2 record. Ferreira departs Atlanta as the WBC Super Featherweight World Champion after a bout decided by repeated fouls rather than the judges’ scorecards.