Zimbabwean female boxer Revai Madondo is set to reignite her professional career with back-to-back international appearances, as she returns to the ring following a near two-year absence from competition.

Madondo’s comeback begins on February 28 at Silver Lakes Farm in Pretoria, South Africa, where she will face Malawian former national champion Ellen Simwaka in an eight-round junior featherweight bout.

The contest headlines a Sport X-sponsored tournament themed “Battle for Love,” which will be broadcast live on SABC Sport, offering Madondo a high-visibility platform as she resumes her career.

The Zimbabwean last fought in Russia, where she dropped a points decision to Karina Tazabekova, a result that halted her momentum and ushered in a prolonged period of inactivity. Carrying a professional record of eight wins (three by knockout), four losses and one draw, Madondo acknowledges the challenge ahead, but views the South African assignment as an opportunity to re-assert herself on the continental stage.

Simwaka enters the bout with the pedigree of a former champion and is widely regarded as one of Malawi’s most accomplished female boxers. However, Madondo believes her own international exposure could prove decisive.

Notably, she has faced eight opponents from outside Zimbabwe, a level of cross-border experience that has hardened her for high-pressure environments.

Speaking in an interview on Saturday, Madondo said she was fully aware of Simwaka’s credentials but remained undeterred.

“I am cognisant of Simwaka’s achievements and capability, but that does not scare me,” Madondo said. “I am ready to take on the continent’s best. That is the only way I can improve my ratings and grow as a fighter.”

Beyond Pretoria, Madondo is also awaiting contractual confirmation for a second bout on March 27 in Lusaka, Zambia, where she has been pencilled in for an all-female boxing event promoted by five-time world champion Esther Phiri.

The card, themed “Ladies Fight Night,” will take place at the Scream Club at KK Mall, with Madondo set to face an opponent yet to be named.

The Zambian show forms part of a broader regional drive to expand platforms for women’s boxing, led by former champions transitioning into promotional and leadership roles. Madondo’s inclusion underscores her standing as one of Zimbabwe’s more seasoned female professionals despite her recent inactivity.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board has publicly thrown its weight behind Madondo and the broader advancement of women in combat sports.

ZNBWCB chief executive officer Priscilla Kadungure said the Board views 2026 as a pivotal year for gender transformation within the sector.

“As a Board, we are optimistic that 2026 will mark a positive turning point for the combat sports sector, particularly in advancing women’s participation,” Kadungure said. “Historically, combat sports and sport in general have recorded low female representation, both in athlete participation and in leadership and administrative roles.”

She added that deliberate and incremental reforms were beginning to deliver results, supported by stronger regulatory frameworks and closer collaboration with the amateur combat sports sector.

According to Kadungure, the Board will adopt a targeted, coordinated national strategy focusing on access, empowerment, protection, development and leadership inclusion for women in boxing and wrestling. Planned interventions include grassroots talent identification through community and school-based programmes, alongside capacity-building initiatives aimed at training female coaches, officials, referees, judges, administrators and safeguarding officers.

For Madondo, the alignment between personal ambition and institutional support could not be more timely. With two international bouts on the horizon and renewed backing from the sport’s regulators, the coming weeks may well determine whether her return marks a revival—or a defining new chapter—in her professional journey.