Today in SA sports history: December 13
1980 — Peter “Terror” Mathebula becomes the first black SA boxer to win a world title when he outpoints Tae Shik Kim of Korea for the WBA flyweight crown in Los Angeles. Mathebula was the third SA fighter to win a world belt after Vic Toweel in 1950 and Arnold Taylor in 1973, but he was the first to do it overseas.
1982 — Johan Kriek retains his Australian Open crown in Melbourne as he beats American Steve Denton again in the final. Kriek, who had downed Denton in four sets in the previous edition, triumphed 6-3 6-3 6-2 for the R79,200 winner’s cheque. Kriek had won the first title under the SA flag, but had since taken American citizenship to avoid compulsory two-year military service which, he said at the time, would have scuppered his career. He remains the only SA tennis player to have won a Grand Slam singles title.
1997 — Helman Mkhalele nails an 85th-minute 25-metre piledriver as Bafana Bafana clinch a 2-2 draw against the Czech Republic in a Confederations Cup match in Riyadh. Brendan Augustine headed in SA’s first goal in the 39th minute.
1997 — Welcome Ncita’s bid to win a second world title fails when he is stopped by IBF featherweight champion Hector Lizzaraga, a US-based Mexican, in the 10th round at Pompano Beach in Florida. Ncita had previously held the IBF junior-featherweight title.
2002 — Lunga “Mad Dog” Ntontela lifts the vacant IBO junior-bantamweight title when he outpoints Edison Torres of Venezuela over 12 rounds in East London.
