Ellen Simwaka was tough opponent—Scottish boxer

Malawian female boxer Ellen Simwaka’s Scottish opponent Kristen Fraser says their Commonwealth title bout on Saturday night in Aberdeen was one of her toughest encounters.

According to www.skysports.com, Simwaka’s corner called time on the bout between the fifth and sixth rounds after she sustained a painful rib injury.

It was Fraser’s sixth victory on the trot since turning professional to take the vacant bantam-weight belt.

The Scot also said she is “over the moon” after becoming Scotland’s first female Commonwealth boxing champion.

Fraser thanked her coach David McAllister and said she was still coming to terms with her success in her home-town.

She said “I can’t believe it. I’m looking at the belt now and I’m over the moon, we knew Simwaka would be strong, that she would come out fighting and take it to me, so I was prepared for that.”

“But my game-plan was to deal with that. She landed some big shots towards the start, but then I was more in control.”

I got more clean shots off and there were lots of punches thrown from both of us. It was an explosive fight,” said Fraser.

The Scottish boxer says the fight was relatively even in the first three rounds before she hurt Simwaka.

“In the fourth round, I landed an absolutely great punch and she went down, flat out on the canvas,” she added.

“I was a bit surprised, as I’m not known for big shots. She got up just as the bell rang, and I just went to work on her in the fifth round. Then her corner retired her between the fifth and sixth round, due to damaged ribs.”

In an interview with The Nation, Simwaka, 22, vowed to come back stronger.

“There were lessons learnt from the fight. Had it not been for the shots I got in the ribs, the fight could have gone down to the wire. But I will come back stronger,” she said.

Simwaka’s record now stands at seven wins (five knockouts), five losses (two KOs) and a draw.