AFRICA’S EMERGING STARS: Morocco’s Zoubaa Safaa was among the country’s latest revelation during last year’s season, and indeed one of Africa’s: Emerging Stars looking ahead to the new 2025 season with a lot of hope to represent the national team in more international tournaments.
The lightweight sensation has all the qualities needed to become a world class boxer. She is positive, resilient, patient, courageous in the ring and passionate on boxing.
“I have loved boxing since I was young, it’s my eternal love, relaxes me and also keeps me away from indulging in unnecessary things in life and bad company, boxing runs in my blood.”
Watching her confidently responding to questions from the media would make you think she’s been in boxing for ages. And then there’s her elegance and pomp as she heads to the ring for her fights. She just radiates confidence and a self belief in her abilities as a good boxer standing on the threshold of boxing stardom.
Safaa started boxing at the age of 15 years at Saqr Al Fassi club under coach Hamza Edrifi but it was not until 2021 when she took boxing seriously at Fez Falcon Club.
With the boxing education she acquired from Hamza Edrifi, Safaa, who will celebrate her 18th birthday on February 17 this year, won the 2024 national championships at lightweight, earning her first call-up to the national team for the Youth World Championships in Budva, Montenegro.
The draws did not favour the young determined Safaa, for she was pitted against world junior champion from Ireland, Siofra Lawless who stopped her in the second round.
Safaa took the defeat by her stride and learned from her mistakes in her international debut.
“What I learned in my fight with the Irish boxer is next time I meet a tall boxer I should always keep the right distance and have a tight guard,” said Safaa.
“I also learned I should be the attacker always aggressive and use my footwork as much as possible. Even though I lost I’m proud of myself because I fought against a world champion more experienced than me, and I also picked up a lot of techniques and new styles watching other boxers in the ring. I can say being in Budva was in itself an achievement because I’m the Moroccan champion.”
Safaa is grateful to her coach Hamza Edrifi for instilling confidence and self belief in herself.
“I thank my coach Hamza, he has supported me throughout and worked hard to mould me into the boxer I am today, he has also taught me to be humble and from the beginning I learned boxing from him he taught me many techniques in boxing.”
“I’m aiming for the top, and win as many big titles as possible,” said the courageous rising boxing giant from the city of Fez in Morocco.
Like most of Morocco’s rising female boxers, Safaa’s idol is world heavyweight champion Khadija Mardi who has inspired many young girls in her country to take up boxing while others look upon her for motivation.
Mardi, who is also a three-time African champion, is Morocco’s most successful female boxer whom Safaa is aiming to emulate.
“Khadija Mardi is my role model, apart from being a good boxer I admire her perseverance. She has faced several difficulties in life and overcame them,” Safaa told boxersworld.co.ke in a telephone interview from Fez in Morocco.
“For instance, Khadija’s mum passed on when she was in the ring because of the shock of seeing her daughter fighting but she persevered and continued boxing, she’s a very strong boxer because if she was weak she would have given up.”
Safaa’s favourite food is chicken bastilla, a Moroccan dish which also inspires her a lot.
And what does she do when she’s not involved with boxing?
“When I’m not training I just love to take a rest, sleeping comfortably and be alone by myself to talk to my mind, I love swimming too, it’s my hobby.”
