By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African boxing icon and world champion Dingaan Thobela, affectionately known as “The Rose of Soweto” has died at the age of 57.
Thobela was found dead in his Mayfair apartment by members of his family and police after they struggled to get hold of him.
Fullview understands he had been unwell, which also prevented him from attending SA Boxing symposium held in Parktown.
Thobela held three world titles in two-weight divisions — the first two being the WBO and WBA lightweight belts in the lightweight divisions early in his blossoming career under veteran trainer Norman Hlabane.
His death comes two weeks after fellow boxer and former SA welterweight champion, Joseph Makaringe burial.
Makaringe passed away after a short illness.
Thobela was born Bongani Mahlangu but was renamed Dingaan by his paternal grandmother when he was a toddler.
The Rose of Soweto won his professional debut fight against Quinton Ryan on 28 June 1986 via a fourth-round knockout in Eldorado Park, south of Joburg. A year earlier, he’d won a Transvaal amateur title.
On 21 October 21 1989, Thobela got a chance of a lifetime, billed to fight Francisco Alvarez in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in his 19th pro match. He won and it opened the door to many more overseas fights.
Victories abroad were regularly followed by a motorcade of fans escorting him home from the airport. The late Godfrey Moloi, businessman and philanthropist dubbed The Godfather of Soweto, always led the entourage.
Thobela defended his belt three times before losing it to the WBA lightweight title holder, American Tony “The Tiger” Lopez, on a dubious points decision in the US.
The request for a rematch was granted and Thobela, Hlabane and a team of sparring partners decamped to Houston in the US to prepare for the “fight of my life”.
Billed The Judgment Day, the fight was penned for Sun City on 26 June 1993. The Rose was loved by South African fans of all colours and the Lopez fight was seen as a nation builder in the political transition.
In their Texas camp, the Thobela team had sparring partners like David Potsane, hard-hitting Jerry Malinga and tough-as-nails Johnson Chuma. They also got the services of Mario Martinez, based in Texas and a man Thobela had once beaten in a WBO title fight.
Thobela and his team spent six weeks in Texas preparing. It paid off as he won the rematch: 118-112, 116-114 and 116-114 on the judges’ scorecards.
The champ’s only regret is that he never fought South Africa’s other great world champion of the era, Brian Mitchell.
Fullview would like to extend its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends of the late Thobela and the South Africans at large.