Dingaan Thobela
Dingaan Thobela | |
---|---|
Statistics | |
Real name | Dingaan Bongane Thobela |
Nickname(s) | The Rose of Soweto |
Weight(s) |
Lightweight Super Middleweight |
Height | 5 ft 7.5 in (1.71 m) |
Nationality |
![]() |
Born |
Soweto, South Africa, South Africa | September 24, 1966
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 56 |
Wins | 40 |
Wins by KO | 26 |
Losses | 14 |
Draws | 2 |
No contests | 0 |
Dingaan Bongane Thobela (born 24 September 1966 in Soweto, South Africa), is a professional boxer in the Super Middleweight (168lb) division.
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.[1] 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.
Professional boxing record
Professional record summary | ||
56 fights | 40 wins | 14 losses |
By knockout | 26 | 4 |
By decision | 14 | 10 |
Draws | 2 | |
No contests | 0 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
56 | Loss | 40-14-2 | ![]() |
RTD | 10 (12), 3:00 | Oct 27, 2006 | ![]() |
|
55 | Loss | 40-13-2 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (8), 1:22 | Dec 3, 2004 | ![]() |
|
54 | Loss | 40-12-2 | ![]() |
UD | 6 | Dec 13, 2003 | ![]() |
|
53 | Loss | 40-11-2 | ![]() |
UD | 8 | Nov 22, 2003 | ![]() |
|
52 | Loss | 40-10-2 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | Nov 29, 2002 | ![]() |
For vacant IBA super middleweight title |
51 | Loss | 40-9-2 | ![]() |
TKO | 8 (12), 2:15 | Nov 30, 2001 | ![]() |
For WBC World super middleweight title |
50 | Loss | 40-8-2 | ![]() |
SD | 12 | Dec 15, 2000 | ![]() |
Lost WBC World super middleweight title |
49 | Win | 40-7-2 | ![]() |
KO | 12 (12), 2:53 | Sep 1, 2000 | ![]() |
Won WBC World Super Middleweight title |
48 | Win | 39-7-2 | ![]() |
MD | 12 | Oct 27, 2006 | ![]() |
Won South African Super Middleweight Title |
47 | Loss | 38-7-2 | ![]() |
MD | 12 | Oct 31, 1999 | ![]() |
For WBF Middleweight Title |
46 | Win | 38-6-2 | ![]() |
TKO | 7 (12) | Mar 6, 1999 | ![]() |
Won Vacant IBO welterweight title |
45 | Draw | 37–6–2 | ![]() |
SD | 12 | Oct 28, 1998 | ![]() |
For vacant WBC International welterweight title |
44 | Win | 37–6–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (10) | Oct 8, 1997 | ![]() |
|
43 | Loss | 36–6–1 | ![]() |
SD | 10 | Mar 22, 1997 | ![]() |
|
42 | Loss | 36–5–1 | ![]() |
KO | 2 (8), 2:59 | Nov 5, 1996 | ![]() |
|
41 | Win | 36–4–1 | ![]() |
KO | 6 (10) | Jun 25, 1996 | ![]() |
|
40 | Win | 35–4–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (10) | Jun 25, 1996 | ![]() |
|
39 | Win | 34–4–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 9 (10) | Nov 25, 1995 | ![]() |
|
38 | Win | 33–4–1 | ![]() |
KO | 8 (10) | Sep 26, 1995 | ![]() |
|
37 | Win | 32–4–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10), 1:34 | Aug 19, 1995 | ![]() |
|
36 | Win | 31–4–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10) | May 6, 1995 | ![]() |
|
35 | Win | 30–4–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10) | Feb 11, 1995 | ![]() |
|
34 | Loss | 29–4–1 | ![]() |
PTS | 8 | Nov 29, 1994 | ![]() |
|
33 | Loss | 29–3–1 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | Mar 19, 1994 | ![]() |
For WBA World Lightweight title |
32 | Loss | 29–2–1 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | Oct 30, 1993 | ![]() |
Lost WBA World Lightweight title |
31 | Win | 29–1–1 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | Jun 26, 1993 | ![]() |
Won WBA World Lightweight title |
30 | Loss | 28–1–1 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | Feb 12, 1993 | ![]() |
For WBA lightweight title |
29 | win | 28–0–1 | ![]() |
PTS | 8 | Oct 31, 1992 | ![]() |
|
28 | win | 27–0–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 9 (10) | Aug 15, 1992 | ![]() |
|
27 | Win | 26–0–1 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | Sep 14, 1991 | ![]() |
Retained WBO World Lightweight title |
26 | win | 25–0–1 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | Jul 13, 1991 | ![]() |
|
25 | Win | 24–0–1 | ![]() |
UD | 12 | Mar 2, 1991 | ![]() |
Retained WBO World Lightweight title |
24 | Win | 23–0–1 | ![]() |
SD | 12 | Sep 22, 1990 | ![]() |
Won WBOWorld Lightweight title |
23 | win | 22–0–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (10) | Jul 23, 1990 | ![]() |
|
22 | win | 21–0–1 | ![]() |
RTD | 7 (10), 3:00 | Apr 27, 1990 | ![]() |
See also
Notes
- ↑ "Catley loses world crown". BBC Sports. 2 September 2000. Archived from the original on 23 June 2003.
Further reading
- Potgieter, Deon (2009) Rose of Soweto: The Dingaan Thobela Story Penguin, Johannesburg, South Africa, ISBN 978-0-14-302615-0
External links
Sporting positions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Minor world boxing titles | ||||
Vacant Title last held by José Antonio Rivera |
IBO welterweight champion March 6, 1999 – 1999 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Peter Malinga | ||
Major world boxing titles | ||||
Preceded by Mauricio Aceves |
WBO lightweight champion September 22, 1990 – 1991 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Giovanni Parisi | ||
Preceded by Tony Lopez |
WBA lightweight champion June 26, 1993 – October 30, 1993 |
Succeeded by Orzubek Nazarov | ||
Preceded by Glenn Catley |
WBC super-middleweight champion September 1, 2000 – December 15, 2000 |
Succeeded by Dave Hilton, Jr. |