Dingaan Thobela


Dingaan Bongani Thobela was a South African professional boxer who competed between 1990 and 2006. He is one of only two boxers in history, along with Terence Crawford, to win world titles at both lightweight and super-middleweight. Thobela held the World Boxing Organization lightweight title from 1990 to 1992, the World Boxing Association lightweight in 1993, and the World Boxing Council super-middleweight title in 2000.

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 Aceves. 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.

Comeback

Thobela returned to the ring at the age of 40 and after an absence of nearly two years on 27 October 2006 when he challenged Soon Botes for the South African light heavyweight title at the Wembley Indoor Arena in Johannesburg, South Africa. He had defeated Botes back in 2000 to win the South African Super middleweight title. Many were surprised that the bout was sanctioned as Thobela failed to make the weight and his inactivity and age. Although Thobela dropped Botes he was clearly not conditioned to fight and did not come out for the tenth round.

Death

On 29 April 2024, Thobela was found dead in his apartment in Johannesburg at the age of 57 after a period of illness. His death came days after South Africa celebrated the 30th anniversary of the end of the apartheid

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
56LossSoon BotesRTD10, 3:0027 Oct 2006Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
55Loss40–13–2Lucian ButeTKO4, 1:223 Dec 2004Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
54Loss40–12–2Martin NielsenUD613 Dec 2003Falkoner Center, Frederiksberg, Denmark
53Loss40–11–2Otis GrantUD822 Nov 2003Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
52Loss40–10–2Mikkel KesslerUD1229 Nov 2002Falkoner Center, Frederiksberg, DenmarkFor vacant IBA super-middleweight title
51Loss40–9–2Éric LucasTKO8, 2:1530 Nov 2001Molson Centre, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaFor WBC super-middleweight title
50Loss40–8–2Dave Hilton Jr.SD1215 Dec 2000Molson Centre, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaLost WBC super-middleweight title
49Win40–7–2Glenn CatleyKO12, 2:531 Sep 2000Carnival City Casino, Brakpan, South AfricaWon WBC super-middleweight title
48Win39–7–2Soon BotesMD1219 Feb 2000Carnival City Casino, Brakpan, South AfricaWon South African super-middleweight title
47Loss38–7–2Cornelius CarrMD1231 Oct 1999David Lloyd Tennis Centre, Raynes Park, England, U.K.For WBF middleweight title
46Win38–6–2Adrian Walter DaneffTKO7 6 Mar 1999Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
45Draw37–6–2Carlos Baldomir1228 Oct 1998Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South AfricaFor vacant WBC International welterweight title
44Win37–6–1Gary MurrayTKO4 8 Oct 1997Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
43Loss36–6–1Willy WiseSD1022 Mar 1997Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
42Loss36–5–1Geoff McCreeshKO2, 2:595 Nov 1996Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
41Win36–4–1Wayne BoudreauxKO6 25 Jun 1996Morula Sun Casino, Mabopane, South Africa
40Win35–4–1Booker KiddTKO3 25 Jun 1996Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, Pennsylvania, U.S.
39Win34–4–1Mark McCreathTKO9 25 Nov 1995Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London, South Africa
38Win33–4–1Jaime BalboaKO8 26 Sep 1995Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, Gauteng, South Africa
37Win32–4–1Santiago Alfonso AhumadaTKO2, 1:3419 Aug 1995Superbowl, Sun City, North-West, South Africa
36Win31–4–1Kenny ViceTKO2 6 May 1995Village Green, Durban, South Africa
35Win30–4–1Andreas PanayiTKO2 11 Feb 1995Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South Africa
34Loss29–4–1Karl TaylorPTS829 Nov 1994Chase Leisure Centre, Cannock, England, U.K.
33Loss29–3–1Orzubek NazarovUD1219 Mar 1994Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, South AfricaFor WBA lightweight title
32Loss29–2–1Orzubek NazarovUD1230 Oct 1993Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South AfricaLost WBA lightweight title
31Win29–1–1Tony LopezUD1226 Jun 1993Superbowl, Sun City, BophuthatswanaWon WBA lightweight title
30Loss28–1–1Tony LopezUD1212 Feb 1993ARCO Arena, Sacramento, California,, U.S.For WBA lightweight title
29Win28–0–1Tony FosterPTS831 Oct 1992Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Kensington, U.K.
28Win27–0–1Peter TillTKO9 15 Aug 1992Indoor Centre, Springs, South Africa
27Win26–0–1Antonio RiveraUD1214 Sep 1991Standard Bank Arena, Johannesburg, South AfricaRetained WBO lightweight title
26Win25–0–1Amancio CastroUD1013 Jul 1991Momentum Arena, Pretoria, South Africa
25Win24–0–1Mario MartínezUD122 Mar 1991Exhibit Hall, San Jose, California, U.S.Retained WBO lightweight title
24Win23–0–1Mauricio AcevesSD1222 Sep 1990International Convention Center, Brownsville, Texas, U.S.Won WBO lightweight title
23Win22–0–1Pascual ArandaTKO4 23 Jul 1990Longhorn Ballroom, Dallas, U.S.
22Win21–0–1Mauricio AcevesRTD7, 3:0027 Apr 1990Point Cadet Plaza, Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S.
21Win20–0–1Felipe OrozcoTKO10 22 Jan 1990Portuguese Hall, Johannesburg, South Africa
20Win19–0–1Francisco OrtizUD105 Dec 1989First National Bank Arena, Durban, South Africa
19Win18–0–1Francisco AlvarezTKO9 21 Oct 1989San Juan, Puerto Rico
18Win17–0–1Danilo CabreraTKO3 24 Jul 1989Portuguese Hall, Johannesburg, South Africa
17Win16–0–1Fred AdamsKO1 15 May 1989Portuguese Hall, Johannesburg, South Africa
16Win15–0–1Mark FernandezTKO6 11 Mar 1989Indoor Centre, Springs, South Africa
15Win14–0–1Daniel LondasMD1023 Jan 1989Portuguese Hall, Johannesburg, South Africa
14Win13–0–1Brian RocheKO8 13 Dec 1988West Ridge Park Tennis Stadium, Durban, South Africa
13Win12–0–1Mpisekhaya MbaduliTKO8 1 Oct 1988Centenary Hall, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth, South AfricaWon South African super-featherweight title
12Win11–0–1Ditau MolefyaneUD1010 Jul 1988Don Mateman Hall, Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, South Africa
11Win10–0–1Andy DeAbreuTKO5 9 May 1988Kenneth McArthur Oval, Potchefstroom, South Africa
10Win9–0–1Gerald IsaacsTKO3 7 Mar 1988Oppenheimer Stadium, Orkney, South Africa
9Win8–0–1Samuel BoikanyoTKO4 1 Feb 1988Standard Bank Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa
8Win7–0–1Elijah CelePTS615 Dec 1987West Ridge Park Tennis Stadium, Durban, South Africa
7Win6–0–1Shorne MoorcroftTKO5 21 Nov 1987Springs Indoor Centre, Springs, South Africa
6Win5–0–1Walter MpungoseTKO6 11 Jul 1987Van Riebeeck Stadium, Witbank, South Africa
5Win4–0–1George MasangoPTS48 Mar 1987Tamil Hall, Laudium, Pretoria, South Africa
4Draw3–0–1Peter MpikashePTS415 Dec 1986West Ridge Park Tennis Stadium, Durban, South Africa
3Win3–0David MatekanePTS62 Nov 1986Don Mateman Hall, Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, South Africa
2Win2–0Christian SithebeTKO4 27 Aug 1986Eldorado Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
1Win1–0Quinton RyanPTS428 Jun 1986Eldorado Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa