He leaves behind his wife Shereen and their daughter, as well as three children from a former marriage.
His family stayed on a six acre small holding in Walkerville where he housed a number of pedigreed dogs, pigs, turkeys and some wild animals.
About Lionel
He went to Aloe Ridge Primary School and then Mondeor High School.
Lionel’s father took him to a boxing match at the age of six years. At age 10 he went to train at Southern Suburbs as an amateur boxer and then went to the YMCA in Mayfair. After a while he joined the well-known trainer Naas Botha at Hugenote Club.
At 16 he joined Booysens Club with trainer Herbie Vermeulen. He won several provincial titles such as Transvaal and Border, but the South African title eluded him.
In 1983 he turned professional and won his first 12 fights. Thereafter he fought the more eligible fighters such as Kosie van Vuuren under trainers Andries Steyn, Sakkie Horn and Sakkie Enslin.
In 1986 he decided to call it a day and ended his professional career on 12-5-1.
He worked as a bouncer at three clubs in Rocky Street but left to work at auto spares dealership in Booysens which he bought after 14 years. He opened up Auto Fever in Selby. Lionel employed a big workforce in the South.
A respected man
He and his wife Shereen initiated Unleashed Sports Combat gymnasium and lately boasted with several amateur and professional champions at the club.
He became a reborn Christian and studied at Christian Family Church in Boksburg and preached as a pastor in the South. Well-known promotor in the South, Jeff Ellis, said he will be greatly missed by family, friends, business people and all
“Lionel Hunter was an amazing man. He lived by principals and respect. He was a big man with a heart of gold. I don’t believe he had a single enemy. To know him is to love him, we are all going to miss him dearly. Our deepest condolences to his family,” said Ellis.
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