WeeklySA_AdminSHOCK: Boxing fraternity and sports in general mourn the passing of a boxing hero found dead in his flat
By Pule Mokhine
The untimely death of former three-time world boxing champion Dingaan “The Rose” has dealt the sport a massive blow and left his admirers countrywide poorer.
Arguably dubbed the country’s most talented and respected pugilists at his prime before he retired from the ring, Thobela was reportedly found dead in his Mayfair flat in Johannesburg early this week. The retired fighter was 57 years- old at the time the final gong rang for him. To the uninitiated, Thobela was a larger-than-life figure as the country’s foremost figure inside and outside the square jungle f his distinguished career as a pugilist.
He held the rare distinction of having hoisted the country’s flag as he campaigned and won the world championship belts of three different sanctioning boxing bodies – a feat that no local fighter has ever accomplished. The diadems were World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight crowns and the much- fancied World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight title.
After bursting onto the professional scene in 1986 from obscurity, the mild-mannered and likeable fighter from Chiawelo in Soweto, then trained by Norman “Hitachi” Hlabane, Thobela put the sprawling township and the entire country on the map. This came about by him lifting the WBO championship belt after dethroning the more fancied Mauricio Acevec in Tel Aviv in 1990. His feat made him an instant hit as he became a cult hero countrywide as he was nicknamed “Rose of Soweto” because of his mild-mannered way in which he embraced his followers throughout Soweto.
Thobela vacated his WBO belt to have a tilt at the WBA crown then WBA shot held by Tony Lopez in 1993.The outcome of that contest saw Thobela losing by a hotly disputed points decision as he was robbed.by the judges.
Later that year, a rematch was ordered and “The Rose” won by a resounding majority decision at Sun City, thereby being crowned the new WBA champion of the world. The entire country went beserk with delirium as a result of by Thobela’s great showing against the American Lopez..
But Thobela’s lack of discipline to make the required weight class affected him immensely, culminating in him surrendering his crown in his first defense to the Russian Orzubeck Nazarov at Nasrec in 1994.
Perhaps the lack of training coupled with heavy socializing contributed to Thobela’s weight ballooning to an incredible super middleweight. But this time, it was patently clear that “The Rose” was living it up and had little to do with taking his career seriously by training hard.
His battle with the scales to make the required lightweight division continued unabatedly. He officially moved to the super middleweight category in the twilight of his career in 2000, and took a gigantic step by dethroning Englishman Glen Catley to lift the WBC supermiddleweight belt at Carnival City.
The victory to annex the WBC crown marked yet another massive milestone for Thobela as he had made history by winning a championshjp belt of such a massive world sanctioning body like the WBC. In doing so, Thobela emulated fellow countryman Thulane “ Sugarboy” Malinga who became South Africa’s first WBC supermiddleweight title holder after dethroning Englishman Nigel Benn in the UK in 1996.
Having hung up gloves, Thobela had been hankering for a much-awaited celebrity match-up against fellow ex-champion Brian Mitchell in a celebrity showdown to prove who is the best between the two erstwhile greats.
The possible opportunity of such a dream clash between the two ring icons will forever remain a pipe dream now that Thobela is no more.
“The Rose” goes to his grave with the full knowledge that he has served the sport of boxing with a great deal of aplomb.
Go well champ.
