South African boxing icons Brian Mitchell and the late Dingaan “Rose of Soweto” Thobela will receive a huge honour when they are presented with the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) prestigious green and gold belt in Germany next month.
Mitchell, whose accomplishments inside the roped square earned him an induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in New York in 2009, said the WBC honour made him realise that his dedication and achievements were appreciated.
He was reacting to the news that the Mexico-based WBC will honour him and Thobela with the sought-after green and gold belt — a symbolic award handed out by the federation in recognition of achievements — at the organisation's 62nd annual convention .
Mitchell and the late Dingaan Thobela, who died this year, will be presented with the honour at the Grand Elysée Hotel in Hamburg at the convention that runs from December 8 to 14. Mitchell will accept the posthumous green and gold belt on Thobela’s behalf.
“Honestly, I realise today that I was appreciated for what I did for boxing,” the former World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior lightweight champion, who is also a commentator for SuperSport, told TimesLIVE Premium on Monday.
“You don't see it when you are still involved physically in the game. I feel honoured and privileged to get such recognition from the WBC.
“To be 63-years old and still getting these accolades makes me feel greatly appreciated.”
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman informed Mitchell's former promoter Rodney Berman that the man who chalked up 12 successful defences of the WBA belt would receive the honorary belt.
“This is a singular honour and we at Golden Gloves are humbled by this supreme gesture by the WBC. Brian never had the opportunity of fighting for the WBC belt because of the apartheid era. This will be a very special moment for Brian and indeed the Golden Gloves team,” said Berman, whose company’s success in producing world champions for the African continent has earned it international recognition.
Mitchell owns a boxing academy named after him in Edenvale and also manages fighters. Among his charges are International Boxing Organisation junior bantamweight holder Ricardo “Magic Man” Malajika, who is trained by Manny Fernandes at Mitchell's institution and is rated No 7 by the WBC, and WBA intercontinental junior middleweight champion Shervantaigh Koopman, also rated No 7 by the WBC.
Zimbabwean Beaven “The One” Sibanda, whose skills are honed at the Mitchell Boxing Academy, will face South African and African Boxing Union strawweight champion Siyakholwa Kuse for the WBC silver belt on December 6 at Emperors Palace, where Berman will stage what could be his last tournament of the year.
Mitchell will represent the late great Thobela in Germany, who will be honoured primarily for being one of the few South Africans to win a WBC championship.
Written off as a washed-up fighter, Thobela sensationally knocked out defending WBC super-middleweight champion Glenn Catley in the final round in Berman's tournament at Carnival City in Brakpan in September 2000.
Berman said the “recognition of Dingaan is a very moving and just reward for an amazing career. He remains one of the most talented fighters to emerge from South Africa, so this is a fantastic moment”.
Mitchell held the WBA super-featherweight title from 1986 to 1991 and the Ring super-featherweight title from 1986 to 1988.
One of his most defining moments came in the early 1990s, when he was winding down his career.
In 1991 Mitchell travelled to Sacramento to face local hero Tony “The Tiger” Lopez, who earned a hometown decision that shocked boxing experts as their IBF title fight was declared a draw. Lopez retained it by virtue of being the champion.
Mitchell was stripped of his WBA crown for facing Lopez for the IBF title as the two federations were not unified at the time and found himself without a world title for the first time since 1986. However, he again faced Lopez in Sacramento in September, where the South African made sure of victory with a convincing points win to claim the IBF title.
Thobela, who died on April 29 aged 57, was a world champion in two weight classes, holding the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) lightweight title from 1990 to 1992 and WBA lightweight belt in 1993, and his WBC super-middleweight title which he won in 2000.
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