Dingaan Thobela
Encyclopedia
Dingaan Bongane Thobela is a professional boxer
in the Super Middleweight
(168lb
) division.
"Rose of Soweto" The Dingaan Thobela story (Penguin books), the intimate biography written by Internationally renowned Deon Potgieter is available for order through all leading on-line stores world wide e.g.; Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kalahari.net etc.
. After defending the belt three times, he relinquished the title and then challenged WBA Lightweight Title holder Tony Lopez
in 1993, but lost a hotly disputed decision. Later that year he rematched Lopez, and won a decision to win the title. Battling to make the weight, he lost the title in his first defense to Orzubek Nazarov
, and lost a rematch to Nazarov in 1994. He stopped WBF junior welterweight champion Kenny Vice in a non-title fight shortly after that.
Thobela later moved up significantly in weight class, and in the twilight of his career in 2000 took on WBC Super Middleweight Title holder Glenn Catley
, winning the belt via a 12th-round KO in only his second fight at the higher weight limit. He again lost the title in his first defense to Dave Hilton Jr via controversial split decision. The loss to Hilton was the beginning of the end for Thobela, who lost his next five fights, including a TKO loss to Eric Lucas
for the WBC Super Middleweight Title in 2001 as well as later champions Mikkel Kessler
and Lucian Bute
.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
in the Super Middleweight
Super middleweight
Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
(168lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
) division.
"Rose of Soweto" The Dingaan Thobela story (Penguin books), the intimate biography written by Internationally renowned Deon Potgieter is available for order through all leading on-line stores world wide e.g.; Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kalahari.net etc.
Professional career
After compiling an amateur record of 80–3, Thobela, known as "The Rose of Soweto", turned pro in 1986 and won the WBO Lightweight Title in 1990 after beating Mauricio AcevesMauricio Aceves
Mauricio Aceves was a Mexican boxer in the Light Welterweight division. He was the first ever WBO Lightweight Champion.-Professional career:...
. After defending the belt three times, he relinquished the title and then challenged WBA Lightweight Title holder Tony Lopez
Tony Lopez
Tony "The Tiger" Lopez , is a former professional boxer from Sacramento, California. He was a 3-Time World Boxing Champion. He is remembered for his victory in the 1988 The Ring Fight of the year by decision over Rocky Lockridge. He fought against Julio César Chávez in 1994 in Monterrey. He lost...
in 1993, but lost a hotly disputed decision. Later that year he rematched Lopez, and won a decision to win the title. Battling to make the weight, he lost the title in his first defense to Orzubek Nazarov
Orzubek Nazarov
Orzubek Nazarov is a Kyrgyz boxer, who won the bronze medal at the 1986 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Reno...
, and lost a rematch to Nazarov in 1994. He stopped WBF junior welterweight champion Kenny Vice in a non-title fight shortly after that.
Thobela later moved up significantly in weight class, and in the twilight of his career in 2000 took on WBC Super Middleweight Title holder Glenn Catley
Glenn Catley
Glenn Catley is a professional boxer and former World Champion in the Super Middleweight division....
, winning the belt via a 12th-round KO in only his second fight at the higher weight limit. He again lost the title in his first defense to Dave Hilton Jr via controversial split decision. The loss to Hilton was the beginning of the end for Thobela, who lost his next five fights, including a TKO loss to Eric Lucas
Eric Lucas
Éric Lucas is an active professional boxer of height 183 cm.Lucas turned pro in 1991 and came up short in his first two title shots, against WBC Light Heavyweight Title holder Fabrice Tiozzo in 1996 and IBF Super Middleweight Title holder Roy Jones Jr later that year...
for the WBC Super Middleweight Title in 2001 as well as later champions Mikkel Kessler
Mikkel Kessler
Mikkel Kessler is a Danish professional boxer and former two time WBA & WBC Super Middleweight champion. In his professional career he has a record of 44–2 with 33 knockouts...
and Lucian Bute
Lucian Bute
Lucian Bute is a Romanian-Canadian professional boxer, currently based in Montreal, Canada. Bute is the current IBF Super Middleweight champion...
.