Renowned for his thunderous punching power and elegant ring craft for such a big man, Gerrie Coetzee, South Africa’s first world heavyweight champion, lost his final, short fight against cancer on Thursday. 

Coetzee is survived by his wife Rina, three children and seven grandchildren.

Gerrie Coetzee in Cape Town on 26 January 2022. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

During his fighting career, the softly-spoken Coetzee became known as the “Boksburg Bomber”, although he was far more than a wild puncher. 

His battles to become heavyweight champion of the world in the late 1970s and early 1980s captured the nation’s imagination. He was a gifted fighter with strong punching power and a likeable demeanour.

He briefly became world champion between 1983-84 by sensationally knocking out rising star Michael Dokes in his home state, in the 10th round in Richfield, Ohio on 23 September 1983.

It was a bout Coetzee, in the best shape of his career and with a surgically repaired right hand, which fused the bones, dominated. His “bionic right hand” as the media dubbed it, caught Dokes in the fifth round, dropping the champion for the first time in his career.

The American landed a few solid punches throughout the fight, but never had the South African in trouble. Coetzee kept coming forward and dominating. In the 10th, he caught Dokes with a short right hook to the temple, which set in motion 30 seconds of mayhem as he knocked the champ out.

The final denouement came courtesy of two vicious right hands as Dokes fell, almost in slow motion, desperately clutching at the rope to hold him up.

Early beginnings 

After an impressive local amateur career, Coetzee turned pro. He was immediately successful and soon was fighting for the SA heavyweight crown. 

His growing reputation included three hugely popular bouts against fellow South African heavyweight stars Mike Schutte and Kallie Knoetze, which Coetzee won. Soon he was a top contender for the world title.

His path was an elimination-style bout against Leon Spinks in Monte Carlo in April 1979. Spinks had twice fought the ageing Muhammad Ali in 1978, sensationally winning the world title before losing the rematch later that year.

The heavyweight boxing championship eliminator between Gerrie Coetzee and Leon Spinks in Monte Carlo, Monaco in 1979. (Photo: Gallo Images / Rapport archives)

By 1979, the WBA title was up for grabs again and Spinks was expected to brush Coetzee aside to set up a world title showdown against either Knoetze or John Tate, who were in the other “eliminator”. 

But Coetzee stunned the boxing world, flooring Spinks three times in the first round on his way to a sensational knockout win.

Tate overcame Knoetze by TKO in Mmabatho to claim the other berth to fight for the vacant WBA title. Coetzee’s first shot at glory came at a time when he was undefeated after 22 fights.

The fight took place at Loftus Versfeld stadium with Tate clinching a tight points decision to silence the massive crowd as the South African faded in the latter rounds.

Tate lost his title to Mike Weaver in his first defence and Weaver then travelled to South Africa as Coetzee was given another shot to become world heavyweight champion. 

After a tentative performance against Tate, Coetzee was more aggressive in the Weaver fight, hurting the champion in the eighth round. But the American managed to recover and again Coetzee ran out of steam as Weaver scored a 13th-round TKO.

After beating Dokes in his third attempt to become world champion, Coetzee lost his first defence against another rising American in Greg Page. 

The defeat, an eighth-round knockout at Sun City in late 1984, signalled the beginning of the end of Coetzee’s realistic days as a world title contender. When Frank Bruno knocked Coetzee out two years later, in 1986, it marked the South African’s last chance at another title shot. 

Coetzee didn’t fight again for seven years. In 1993, he inexplicably came out of retirement and fought against the little-known Dave Fiddler in Sacramento.

Coetzee fought three more times, losing his final bout to blown-up former middleweight Iran Barkley in 1997.

In 40 fights, he won 33, lost six and drew one. DM