News of the passing of South Africa’s greatest boxer in the country, Jacob ‘Baby Jake’ Matlala has saddened the nation.
Matlala, known as a ‘small man with a big heart’ died yesterday in hospital allegedly after an illness related to pneumonia .
He was previously admitted to hospital some years ago and it was reported that he could not pay his medical bills, as a result a fundraising event was held to be a financial aid.
The small giant grew up in Meadowlands Zone Five and he is believed to be a boxer who changed the course of the boxing fratenity, not only in the country but internationally as well.
He is known in Meadowlands for shaping the history of boxing and that meant other young men wanted to follow in his footsteps.
The 51-year-old Matlala is a four time light weight champion with more than 50 victories to his name, achievements that no other boxer in South Africa has mounted to.
In the 1950s Bapedi Hall in Zone Three was the first ever built sports hub to be built in Meadowlands.
The historical hall was a training ground for boxers, such as Arthur Maisela who was one of the fighters who created a hype in boxing at the time.
The reality is that boxing at the hall has taken a hard knock, it has lost the influence and power it used to have.
Matlala is survived by his wife Mapule and two children.
