He was possibly the most talented and charismatic fighter to come out of South Africa.
Later on in his career, Dingaan Thobela might have been challenging heavyweight fights, but he started out as a lightweight amateur in Chiawelo, a township in Soweto.
His meteoric rise was such an inspirational influence on people who followed his career that he was nicknamed the Rose of Soweto by his fans.
“I started boxing at a very young age to defend myself,” he told Drum in an interview before his comeback fight in 2011, soon after he had been granted a heavyweight division boxing licence by Boxing South Africa.
March 2024 ended on a sour note for many South Africans as the world woke up to the news of the SA boxing icon's death.
Dingaan ‘The Rose of Soweto’ Thobela was a champion fighter who captured the hearts and soul of the nation. I am deeply saddened by his passing. My thoughts are with the Thobela family and the South African boxing fraternity. #RIPDingaanThobela@CyrilRamaphosa @SportArtsCultur pic.twitter.com/mqYyvChJSH
— Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture (@zizikodwa) April 30, 2024
“The celebrated boxer from Chiawelo, Soweto, was found dead in his flat in Mayfair, Johannesburg, on Monday evening,” reports leading boxing writer Bongani Magasela.
“Born Dingaan Bongane Thobela 57 years ago, Thobela had been unwell. Childhood friend Eddie Mutungutungu confirmed the former world champion was found dead after several attempts to contact him drew a blank.”
In this 2011 Drum interview, the famous pugilist of Soweto reflects on why he started boxing and making a comeback.
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“The older guys in the townships would spit on the ground and then send you to go buy them something at a local store. If you came back and the spit had dried, you’d get a beating. My father knew people in boxing, and that’s how I developed an interest.”
Then a skinny, bubbly youngster, Dingaan joined Norman Hlabane at his gym in New Canada, Soweto, and the shrewd trainer guided him through 83 amateur fights, of which Dingaan lost only three.
It was the beginning of a long relationship between Hlabane and Thobela, who remained loyal to his mentor through most of his professional career.
He turned professional in 1986 when he was in Grade 11 at Ngungunyane Secondary School, in Soweto.
“At school, they didn’t even know I was a professional boxer because I never talked about it,” he recalls.
In 1990 he became the first South African to win a WBO lightweight title when he beat Mexican Mauricio Aceves.
Three years later, with the help of renowned promoter Rodney Berman, he challenged the WBA lightweight titleholder, Tony Lopez, in Sacramento in the US, but lost.
It was a controversial decision, however, and it brought about an immediate rematch later that year, at the Sun City Superbowl – which he won.
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“I still remember that day like it was yesterday,” Thobela remembered.
“They called it Judgement Day and, oh, it was.”
That win remains Dingaan’s most famous and talked-about fight of his career.
“We’ve remained friends ever since, Tony and I.”
