SA boxing’s gentle giant has fallen
A biopic film on Coetzee’s life Against all Odds is currently being made.
Gerrie Coetzee during the Gerrie Coetzee Press Conference promoting the film Against all Odds at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront on January 26, 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
South Africa lost one of its sporting greats this week after former World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee died on Thursday following a short battle with cancer. He was 67.
Coetzee, a gentle giant, became the first African heavyweight champion when he beat American Michael Dokes almost 40 years ago, while earlier in his career he also beat Leon Spinks – one of only five boxers to defeat Muhammad Ali.
In a career that spanned from 1974 to 1986 and again from 1993 to 1997, Coetzee won 33 of his 40 professional fights – 21 via way of knockout – lost six times and drew once, against future World Boxing Council world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas.
ALSO READ: Gerrie Coetzee: ‘He was the benchmark in the heavyweight division’
On 23 September, 1983, not many gave underdog Coetzee a chance of beating American home favourite Dokes in Richfield, Ohio, following two failed attempts to win a world title against John Tate (1979) and Mike Weaver (1980).
However, the “Boksburg Bomber” stunned world boxing when he knocked out Dokes with a short right hook – a blow that forced him to later undergo surgery to repair his broken right hand – in the 10th round to become the world heavyweight champion.
A biopic film on Coetzee’s life Against all Odds is currently being made. Nothing quite captures the imagination of a nation than a heavyweight champion. It will be interesting to relive all the magical moments of his career when the film is released.
ALSO READ: Boxing legend Gerrie Coetzee has died
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