Gerrie Coetzee

BOXING champion Gerrie Coetzee has died aged 67.The former world heavyweight champion clashed with the likes of Frank Bruno.He also was the first boxe.

RIP Gerrie Coetzee." I always think of him when I hear the song - Eye of the Tiger. The former world heavyweight champion clashed with the likes of Frank Bruno.

Former South African heavyweight boxer Gerrie Coetzee has died at the age of 67. Condolences to all family and friends.

Former South African heavyweight boxer Gerrie Coetzee has died at the age of 67. Former South African heavyweight boxer Gerrie Coetzee has [died](https://twitter.com/ClintonV/status/1613612705247645696) at the age of 67.

Condolences have been pouring in on social media media as South Africans share their fond memories of the boxing legend. Former heavyweight boxer Gerrie Coetzee ...

I remember how we used to wake up in the early hours of the morning, to see you fight. Go rest high in that mountain Gerrie Coetzee. He was given a technical knockout victory in Monaco, just nine months after Spinks had caused a spectacular upset by defeating esteemed countryman Muhammad Ali. oom Gerrie Coetzee. He made history as the first fighter from Africa to contest for a heavyweight world title, and lost to John Tate in a battle for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) belt in Pretoria, and though he got another chance the following year, he fell to another American, Mike Weaver, at Sun City. Graduating to the highest level, he made his professional debut in September 1974 at the age of 19, when he beat Chris Roos on points in a four-round contest.

South African boxing icon Gerrie Coetzee, who once held the WBA Heavyweight title, has died at the age of 67.

“As a human he was second to none ... Last year, it was announced that a film on Coetzee’s life, named Against all Odds was to be made. He was the light in our lives, it feel so unreal,” she said. I remember him as this big teddy bear, with the kindest heart.” it was an aggresive form of cancer”. Almost exactly 40 years after his great triumph - winning the WBA heavyweight championship by 10th-round KO against Mike Dokes - Gerrie Coetzee has died aged 67.

South African boxer Gerrie Coetzee was the first boxer from his continent to become a world heavyweight champion, and famously fought Frank Bruno at Wembley ...

RIP." Our deepest sympathy and condolences go out to all his friends and family." Four years previously, he'd notched another famous win, keeping his composure against a charging Leon Spinks before stopping the American in the opening round. RIP Champ." The official Bok Radio account posted: "The legendary Gerrie Coetzee, SA's very first World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, passed away earlier today. Tributes have since flooded in, with renowned sports blogger Clinton van der Berg tweeting: "A giant has fallen.

Sad to report the passing of former heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee at the age of 67 in Cape Town, South Africa. His daughter, Lana Coetzee told IOL.

Offending posts will be removed. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. Sad to report the passing of former heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee at the age of 67 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Former World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee died on Thursday after succumbing to cancer. He was 67.

In the 10th, he caught Dokes with a short right hook to the temple, which set in motion 30 seconds of mayhem as he knocked the champ out. But the American managed to recover and again Coetzee ran out of steam as Weaver scored a 13th-round TKO. When Frank Bruno knocked Coetzee out two years later, in 1986, it marked the South African’s last chance at another title shot. It was a bout Coetzee, in the best shape of his career and with a surgically repaired right hand, which fused the bones, dominated. The American landed a few solid punches throughout the fight, but never had the South African in trouble. He was a gifted fighter with strong punching power and a likeable demeanour.

Coetzee, who first put on boxing gloves at age 7 after his father bribed him with 50 cents to try sparring at a local gym, compiled a professional record of 33- ...

Coetzee defended his title back home in South Africa the following year, losing by eighth round knockout to Greg Page. After losing a split decision to Renaldo Snipes in 1981, Coetzee went on a 5-fight unbeaten streak, which included a draw against Pinklon Thomas, before finally winning the WBA title with a tenth round knockout of Michael Dokes. Coetzee fought again that year, then took off another three-plus years, winning again before being stopped in ten rounds by former middleweight champion Iran Barkley, who had ballooned up to 229 pounds for the bout. Despite racial tensions at the time, Coetzee was a vocal opponent of the segregation policies, telling The Washington Post in 1979 that “people should be treated on merit and not on race or color.” Coetzee received another shot at the belt the following year against Tate conqueror Mike Weaver, but lost by 13th round knockout. Gerrie Coetzee, the former WBA heavyweight titleholder from South Africa, died on Thursday at the age of 67.

Gerrie Coetzee, a former heavyweight champion who fought many contenders and champions during the late 1970s and 1980s, died Thursday in his home country of ...

His first shot at the WBA belt resulted in a 15-round, unanimous-decision loss to American John Tate in October 1979, which drew an estimated crowd of 86,000 to Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa. Another American, Greg Page, knocked out Coetzee in the eighth round of that December 1984 fight at Superbowl, a concert venue in Sun City, South Africa. A native of Boksburg, South Africa, Coetzee was most known for knocking out American Michael Dokes in the 10th round of their September 1983 fight at Richfield (Ohio) Coliseum to win the WBA heavyweight title.

The former world heavyweight champion, known as 'The Boksburg Bomber' was the first boxer from Africa to fight for and win a world heavyweight championship and ...

Former South African and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion, Gerrie Coetzee, known as the Boksburg Bomber, died at his home in Bloubergstrand in ...

In October the same year, he stopped West Turner in the fifth when Turner was badly cut on the forehead. Coetzee did drop Barkley with a right hook in the second round but by the eighth both were exhausted. Then Page landed a left hook to the jaw that left Coetzee flat on his back – 3 minute 50 seconds after the start of the round. Towards the end of the eighth, Coetzee was beginning to outbox the challenger. He appeared to tire in the tenth before landing a crashing right to the side of Dokes’s head to score a sensational win. Coetzee made it to his feet but was in no condition to continue and referee Jesus Celis of Venezuela completed the count. He told his corner in the second round that he had pain in his left hand and in the third felt his right hand going. After a six-month layoff, Coetzee returned to the ring on 30 October 1977, to stop American Tom Prater in four. It was reported that he had taken a pain killer that was to blame for his poor performance. On 20 October 1979, a crowd of more than 77 000 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria saw Coetzee go through 15 dull rounds in losing to American John Tate for the vacant WBA heavyweight belt. The youngster later began to enjoy the sport and at the age of 13, he won the Eastern Transvaal bantamweight title. Born Gerhardus Christian Coetzee on 8 April, in Witfield, Boksburg, Coetzee was the oldest of four children.

Coetzee, also known as 'the Boksburg Bomber', died aged 67. He became the WBA world heavyweight champion in 1983 after defeating Michael Dokes of the United ...

Coetzee, also known as 'the Boksburg Bomber', died aged 67. File: Gerrie Coetzee (left), also known as 'the Boksburg Bomber', has died aged 67.

Gerrie Coetzee became the first African heavyweight boxer to challenge and win a world heavyweight boxing title. He KO'd American Michael Dokes in the 10th ...

Coetzee started his pro career in September 1974 and remained undefeated until he was defeated by 'Big John' Tate for the vacant WBA title in front of 86 000 spectators at Loftus. "It was a surreal moment and he awarded me a medal. In an interview Coetzee spoke of his link with Mandela: "Throughout all of this one of the most treasured moments of my career was when I was called to Nelson Mandela's office in the early 1990s. He saw it as a gift from me and I was grateful for that." On Thursday afternoon he died at his home in Bloubergstrand. He lost his final bout to Iran Barkley, a former WBA light heavyweight champion. At the time of the stoppage, Coetzee was marginally ahead on all three judges' scorecards. On his return, Coetzee and his business manager Thinus Strydom were treated to a hero's welcome at Johannesburg airport. It was remarkable that when Coetzee decked Dokes with a succession of rights, his right hand was broken. [He was a family man through and through ... Almost exactly 40 years after his great triumph - winning the WBA heavyweight championship by 10th-round KO against Mike Dokes - Gerrie Coetzee has died aged 67. He KO'd American Michael Dokes in the 10th round of their scheduled 15-round title fight at the Richfield Coliseum, Ohio, on 23 September 1983.