Veteran boxing writer Ron Jackson has reminisced about the hugely billed rematch between Dingaan Thobela and Tony Lopez 31 years ago almost to the day at Sun City Superbowl in North West Province, then known as Bophuthatswana.
Thobela died on April 29 at the age of 57.
South Africans, particularly the boxing fraternity, rejoiced when the beloved son of the soil nicknamed “The Rose of Soweto” defeated Lopez to win the WBA lightweight title in front of about 4,000 high-spirited fans on June 26 1993. Thobela dethroned Lopez, known as “The Tiger”, via a unanimous points decision after 12 fiercely contested rounds.
The fight was dubbed “Judgment Day”. They met for the second time after Lopez was presented a gift he did not deserve — a unanimous points decision that enabled him to retain the WBA lightweight belt at home in Sacramento on February 12 1993.
“The atmosphere was very good,” said Jackson, who turns 88 in August. “It was a big one for Dingaan, but I was very disappointed about Dingaan because he did not perform in such a way that he deserved to win.
“The fight could have gone to Lopez. It was very close. If the judges had given it to Lopez I would not have argued. No-one dominated.
“I thought the fight in Sacramento was a better fight for Dingaan. He was in control and he dominated.”
Jackson said he met Thobela when he was only 19.
"'Dingaan and [trainer] Norman Hlabane used to come to my house; I had a flat at the back of my house and I had converted it to a boxing room where I kept every item, magazines and videos were there, so we would sit and watch boxing videos. That is how far back I know Dingaan.
“Dingaan was very special to me. He had everything and he could have been better than he was had he looked after himself.”
Thobela's ballooning weight was his worst enemy. Having previously held the WBO belt, he lost the WBA title in his first defence to Russian Orzubek Nazarov on points after 12 rounds at Nasrec Arena, near Soweto, on October 30 1993.
They met again at the Carousel in Hammanskraal on March 19 1994, and the tough left-handed Russian defeated Thobela again on points.
Thobela went a weight division up and won the WBC International welterweight title. But he was not crowned because he failed to make the required weight limit. He moved up to the middleweight class where he failed in his bid for the WBF belt. Again Thobela moved, up to the super middleweight division where he won the national title in his first fight in that weight class against defending champion Soon “Bazooka” Botes on February 20 2000.
That win at Carnival City put him in line to challenge Glen “Cry Baby” Catley, the Englishman, who was promoted by Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves. Thobela upset the bookies by stopping the favoured Catley towards the end of the 12th and last round in front of 5,000 vociferous fans at Carnival City on September 1 2000.
That was the last time Thobela won a fight. He lost seven fights consecutively, one of which was a rematch with Botes. That was Thobela's swansong. He chalked up 26 knockouts in 40 wins against 14 losses and two draws.
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