Dingaan Thobela


Dingaan Bongane Thobela, is a former professional boxer, a former two time lightweight world champion & a former super middleweight world champion

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.he was later shown to have loaded his padding in his gloves 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

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
56Loss40-14-2 Soon BotesRTD10, 3:0027 Oct 2006 Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
55Loss40-13-2 Lucian ButeTKO4, 1:223 Dec 2004 Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
54Loss40-12-2 Martin NielsenUD613 Dec 2003 Falconer Centeret, Frederiksberg, Denmark
53Loss40-11-2 Otis GrantUD822 Nov 2003 Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
52Loss40-10-2 Mikkel KesslerUD1229 Nov 2002 Falconer Centeret, Frederiksberg, DenmarkFor vacant IBA super middleweight title
51Loss40-9-2 Eric LucasTKO8, 2:1530 Nov 2001 Molson Centre, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaFor WBC World super middleweight title
50Loss40-8-2 Dave Hilton, Jr.SD1215 Dec 2000 Molson Centre, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaLost WBC World super middleweight title
49Win40-7-2 Glenn CatleyKO12, 2:531 Sep 2000 Big Top Arena, Carnival City, Brakpan, Gauteng, South AfricaWon WBC World Super Middleweight title
48Win39-7-2 Soon BotesMD1227 Oct 2006 Carnival City, Brakpan, Gauteng, South AfricaWon South African Super Middleweight Title
47Loss38-7-2 Cornelius CarrMD1231 Oct 1999 David Lloyd Tennis Centre, Raynes Park, London, United KingdomFor WBF Middleweight Title
46Win38-6-2 Adrian Walter DaneffTKO7 6 Mar 1999 Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South AfricaWon Vacant IBO welterweight title
45Draw37–6–2 Carlos Baldomir1228 Oct 1998 Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, South AfricaFor vacant WBC International welterweight title
44Win37–6–1 Gary MurrayTKO4 8 Oct 1997 Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, Gauteng, South Africa
43Loss36–6–1 Willy WiseSD1022 Mar 1997 Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
42Loss36–5–1 Geoff McCreeshKO2, 2:595 Nov 1996 Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, Gauteng, South Africa
41Win36–4–1 Wayne BoudreauxKO6 25 Jun 1996 Morula Sun Casino, Mabopane, North-West, South Africa
40Win35–4–1 Booker KiddTKO3 25 Jun 1996 Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, Pennsylvania, USA
39Win34–4–1 Mark McCreathTKO9 25 Nov 1995 Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
38Win33–4–1 Jaime BalboaKO8 26 Sep 1995 Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, Gauteng, South Africa
37Win32–4–1 Santiago Alfonso AhumadaTKO2, 1:3419 Aug 1995 Superbowl, Sun City, North-West, South Africa
36Win31–4–1 Kenny ViceTKO2 6 May 1995 Village Green, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
35Win30–4–1 Andreas PanayiTKO2 11 Feb 1995 Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, Gauteng, South Africa
34Loss29–4–1 Karl TaylorPTS829 Nov 1994 Cannock, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
33Loss29–3–1 Orzubek NazarovUD1219 Mar 1994 Carousel Casino, Hammanskraal, Gauteng, South AfricaFor WBA World Lightweight title
32Loss29–2–1 Orzubek NazarovUD1230 Oct 1993 Nasrec Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South AfricaLost WBA World Lightweight title
31Win29–1–1 Tony LopezUD1226 Jun 1993 Superbowl, Sun City, North-West, South AfricaWon WBA World Lightweight title
30Loss28–1–1 Tony LopezUD1212 Feb 1993 Arco Arena, Sacramento, California, USAFor WBA lightweight title
29win28–0–1 Tony FosterPTS831 Oct 1992 Earls Court Exhibition Hall, Kensington, London, United Kingdom
28win27–0–1 Peter TillTKO9 15 Aug 1992 Indoor Centre, Springs, Gauteng, South Africa
27Win26–0–1 Antonio RiveraUD1214 Sep 1991 Standard Bank Arena, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South AfricaRetained WBO World Lightweight title
26win25–0–1 Amancio CastroUD1013 Jul 1991 Standard Bank Arena Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
25Win24–0–1 Mario MartínezUD122 Mar 1991 Exhibit Hall, San Jose, California, USARetained WBO World Lightweight title
24Win23–0–1 Mauricio AcevesSD1222 Sep 1990 Intl. Convention Center, Brownsville, Texas, USAWon WBOWorld Lightweight title
23win22–0–1 Pascual ArandaTKO4 23 Jul 1990 Dallas, Texas, USA
22win21–0–1 Mauricio AcevesRTD7, 3:0027 Apr 1990 Point Cadet Plaza, Biloxi, Mississippi, USA