Former Heavyweight Titlist Gerrie Coetzee, Who Resisted Apartheid In His Native South Africa, Dies At 67

By: Sean Crose

For a short while there was discuss that the person may interact in a significant heavyweight title struggle in opposition to reigning undefeated kingpin Larry Holmes. That bout by no means got here to fruition, however Gerrie Coetzee, whose passing on the age of 67 was reported on Thursday, was capable of go away his mark on the game of boxing nonetheless. The former WBA heavyweight titlist had not solely been the world’s first South African heavyweight champion, he had additionally resisted Apartheid at a time when a white South African wasn’t speculated to do such issues.

“I feel I am fighting for everybody, black and white,” he had mentioned across the time he received the WBA heavyweight title from Michael Dokes in 1984. “What makes me happy is for black, brown and white people to accept me as their fighter.” The New York Times quoted Coetzee as saying “when I return home, I will continue working to help people get together.’’ Coetzee found himself in legal hot water when he adopted a young fighter who the South African government had designated “colored.”

Coetzee was to recall the time a police officer confirmed up at his residence concerning the matter. “You thought the policeman was using a hammer when he knocked on the door… once I opened the door he brushed me out of the way and went through the whole house. He wanted to know where the boy slept and where he washed.” To his credit score, Coetzee stood his floor. “A few days later,” he added, “I was issued with a court summons, but I failed to respond, and nothing came of it.”

As a fighter, Coetzee discovered himself attending to the highest the exhausting method. He misplaced title bouts in opposition to John Tate and Mike Weaver earlier than lastly defeating Dokes in an in depth 1983 battle. He subsequently misplaced the title to Greg Page in December of the next 12 months. One of Coetzee’s fondest recollections was being “called to Nelson Mandela’s office in the early 1990s. It was overwhelming,” Coetzee mentioned, “because the country was preparing for democracy and Mr. Mandela was leading the way…it was a surreal moment and he awarded me a medal. I was surprised to hear that he had listened to radio commentaries of a few of my fights while he was in prison.”

Mandela requested Coetzee’s firm on two different events. A film of Coetzee’s life titled Gerrie is reportedly near completion.

*quotes on this article had been supplied by IOL: https://www.iol.co.za/sport/boxing/boksburg-bombers-fight-against-apartheid-46583061