2023 SA Boxing Champions silver medalist and PPC Boxing Champion Saafiyah Sonday

Listen to the interview above or read through the transcription below
Lunch Break Interview with Saafiyah Sonday

Lunch Break Interview with Saafiyah Sonday

Lunchtime Radio at its best. This is the Lunch Break on Lotus FM. On Lotus FM, Saafiyah Sonday hails from Pinelands in Cape Town. She started training under coach Fidaah Edries four years ago, discovering a love of boxing and has since never looked back. Her record in the professional arena is six wins against three losses.

Now that’s very impressive. Let’s hear the story now from the lady herself. Welcome to the show, Saafiyah.

Host: Hi, I’m happy to be here. Thank you for having me. Well, let’s get right into it. You joined the academy when you were 17 years old and began pursuing mixed martial arts before switching to boxing.

Saafiyah: I’ve always been a sporty person and my brother started like a year before me. So he really inspired me to join and when I started I just fell in love with the sport and everything that it stands for.

Host: Saafiyah, I want to talk about you winning the championship belt at the women’s Superflyweight division. It was already a good year for you, as you had competed in the national championships in July, but in November’s Superflyweight division, you had a tough opponent apparently in this one. What was that competition like, and then eventually winning the belt at the end of it, how did that feel?

Saafiyah: Yeah, she was a super tough opponent. I fought her twice already, so I knew she was going to be tough from the beginning. And the fight was tough. It went four rounds. We both weren’t expecting it to go four rounds. And it was a tough fight and it made winning the belt even more rewarding and I’m so happy. I’m proud of myself.

Host: Of course you should be proud of yourself. Now, also very interesting is your role model is Clarissa Shields. Multiple times female boxing champion. Why Clarissa and how does Clarissa inspire you?

Saafiyah: She, she’s achieved a lot of things like winning the Olympic, winning Olympic gold, and winning multiple belts, world title belts. And just, just the fact that she’s a woman achieving such great things in a male dominated sport really inspires me.

Host: And what about your coach Fidaah Edries? How has he impacted your life and shaped your professional career in sport?

Saafiyah: He’s impacted me in so many ways. When I, when I came to him in the beginning, I was so insecure and didn’t have many like goals and didn’t feel like I had a lot of purpose in my life and he’s really changed my mindset on, on life and how I view myself and him and the sport in general has really changed the way I live my life. And I’m really grateful for him.

Host: And Saafiyah, how can women out there live their authentic self and strive towards achieving their life goals?

Saafiyah: I think just doing things that make you feel good and having goals and dreams and working towards achieving it, and like making your life, doing things that make you feel that you have a purpose in life is really empowering.

Host: Well great getting to know you better this afternoon Saafiyah Sonday. Thank you so much for chatting with us on Lotus FM and all the best to you for your career in the field of boxing.

Saafiyah: Thank you. It was good talking to you.

Host: Same here. Join the boxing journey with Saafiyah! If you’re inspired by Saafiyah’s story and want to explore the world of boxing or mixed martial arts, contact us to join our academy. It’s not just a sport; it’s a lifestyle and a journey towards self-discovery and empowerment.

Saafiyah: Bye.

Lotus FM. Yeah! Yeah! Share the experience. Share the experience.

Join Saafiyah’s Boxing Journey!

If Saafiyah’s story has inspired you, take the first step towards a healthier, empowered life. Join our boxing and mixed martial arts academy today!

Topics: boxing champion, female boxing champion, boxing coach, Lotus FM interview, Saafiyah Sonday, Fidaah Edries, boxing career, women in sports, empowerment, championship belt, Clarissa Shields, role model, professional athlete, mixed martial arts, Superflyweight division, national championships, coaching impact, self-discovery, life goals, inspiring women, join boxing academy.

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