The most memorable and fiercest local rivalry of them all was between gerrie coetzee and kallie knoetze. Coetzee retells daniel defoes robinson crusoe a story about a castaway who spends 28 years on a remote island and is later rescued after several encounters with cannibals, insurgents and the likes. Dokes was not able to get up, and coetzee became the first white boxer in 23 years to win a world heavyweight title, and the first african ever to win the world heavyweight title. A south african novelist who migrated to and acquired australian citizenship, coetzees many awards and accolades justify the hype that surrounds his name. In october 1980 weaver made his first defense, traveling to sun city, south africa, to fight gerrie coetzee. In south africa, competent boxing trainers are rarer than black voters. Gerrie coetzee bio, facts, family famous birthdays. Boxing memorabilia souvenir programs and books souvenir south african programs mike schutte vs gerrie coetzee 1976. Souvenir programs and books, souvenir south african programs. Felix coetzee born 1959, durban, south african jockey in thoroughbred horse racing. Read about gerrie seer handjies coetzee by leon schuster and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. He holds notable knockout wins against wba world heavyweight champion michael dokes and former unified world heavyweight champion leon spinks, as well as a draw with future wbc and ibo world heavyweight champion pinklon thomas. Former world heavyweight boxing champion gerrie coetzee and motivational speaker will go down in history as one of the greatest fighters south africa has ever produced.
Gerrie coetzee, left, and pierre coetzer, a former sa heavyweight. Coetzee remembers speaking a lot of english at home. He was the first boxer from the african continent ever to fight for, and win, a world heavyweight championship, having held the wba title from 1983 to 1984. Gerrie coetzee wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Weaver was hurt and nearly knocked down in the 8th round but rallied down the stretch and knocked coetzee out in the th round.
He was the first african ever to fight for, and win, a world heavyweight championship, having held the wba title from 1983 to 1984. Famous south africans in boxing gerrie coetzee is a south african former professional boxer who was the first african ever to fight for, and win, a world heavyweight championship. Gerhardus christian gerrie coetzee born 8 april 1955 is a south african former professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1986, and in 1993 and 1997. Coetzee has 125 books on goodreads with 410935 ratings. Foe is when i realised the guy is seriously clever. Pierre fourie vs gerrie coetzee under card 1977 african ring. Join facebook to connect with gerrie coetzee and others you may know.
Beautiful cities that will change the way you see africa. Although critics have consistently and repeatedly slated schusters work, he. After surviving a rematch with the rugged weaver, dokes would lose his title at the brittle hands of gerrie coetzee in september 1983. Vic toweel was the only south african to make it to the top of the pile, winning the world welterweight title in 1950. Social security administration public data, the first name coetzee was not present. Widely regarded as the best heavy weight boxer in south african. Dokes lost the title to south african gerrie coetzee in 1983 and his career and life went to pieces. Gerrie coetzee article south africa boxing heavyweights. Coetzee won the south african heavyweight belt in august of 1976 by disqualification over mike schutte in what was reportedly an. A tale of fighting men in south africa by gavin evans, a hardhitting memoir of south african boxing. An american film company that has been researching the life of sa boxer gerrie coetzee ahead of filming operations for gerrie a documentary has unearthed findings that showed the man.
Tsietse maretloane etched his name in the history books on november 14 1977 when he became south africas first supreme featherweight national champion. Boxing movie fans in the united states us and south africa have warmed to. Gerrie coetzee acquitted news that connects south africans. He changed hands, as did the title sports illustrated vault. He had done everything right, except to read the rule book. Gerrie coetzee becomes the first south african boxer to. An afrikaner from apartheid south africa, coetzee had been brought to the u. Movie about legendary sa boxer to hit silver screens sport24. Famous people from south africa with sporting talents. He was voted 30th in the top 100 great south africans in 2004.
As amateurs they met on six occasions, each winning three bouts. As an amateur knoetze fought future professional world champion fellow south african gerrie coetzee six times, each winning three bouts knoetze turned professional in 1976, and started his career with six consecutive ko wins. Lost only 7 of 192 amateur bouts, three of which were to future heavyweight contender kallie knoetze. On 23 september 1983, gerrie coetzee, went up against american michael dokes in cleveland, ohio for the world boxing association wba heavy weight title. His personal story of struggle and perseverance is an inspiration for everyone. Coetzee, a good boxer puncher, had never previously been down, amateur or pro. As a last name coetzee was the 64,388 th most popular name in 2010 how unique is the name coetzee. Trained by willie lock a man who sneered about kaffirs he was the first white boxer. He beat leon spinks via tko on june 24, 1979, a fight which the referee stopped just two minutes in. This is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as. Gerhardus christian gerrie coetzee is a south african former professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1986, and in 1993 and 1997. Sport stars who died in 2012 news that connects south. Ibf title win puts kriel in elite group sowetanlive.
Foe is a small sized novel written by the south african author, j. Stories from a south african childhood by trevor noah, waiting for the barbarians by. Schuster became the obvious successor to jamie uys in the local south african film industry. Gerrie coetzee was easily the best heavyweight prospect south africa ever. Published by viking press in 1986, it is only a hundred and fifty seven pages. I had just finished half of gibbons decline of the roman empire and realised coetzee was writing the narrative of foe in a similar register, which takes a smart person to pull that off. Coetzee left an indelible mark on south african sport by knocking out leon spinks in the first round, which went 30 rounds in two fights against mohamed ali, beating ali in the. It was coetzees third attempt at a world title after his two previous attempts. Cleveland the wife south african gerrie coetzee, who won the world boxing association heavyweight title friday night, gave birth saturday to a healthy baby girl. It is possible the name you are searching has less than five occurrences per. Mike weaver boxer wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Gerhardus christian coetzee born april 8, 1955 in boksburg, better known as gerrie coetzee, is a south african former boxer. Le 1 decembre 1984 coetzee perd le titre wba des poidslourds des sa premiere defense face a greg page. Coetzee, south african novelist, critic, and translator noted for his novels about the effects of colonization.
The first boxer from africa to fight for, and win, a world heavyweight title. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Boksburg, gauteng, south africa pro boxing career 40 bouts. Coetzee refused to be molded into a social automaton, thereby heavily influenced by his mother, for whom in an ideal school system every child should be considered as unique and its natural talent should be fostered. Heavyweight blockbuster gerrie will fit boxing fans like a glove boxing movie fans in the united states us and south africa have warmed to the news that gerrie, a film dedicated to the. Coetzee, a boksburg dental technician who spoke in a highpitched monotone, was more complicated. His nickname was the bionic hand, because he always had trouble with his right hand. Historical records and family trees related to gerrie coetzee. Gerrie coetzee becomes the first south african boxer to win a world heavyweight title. He received his bachelor of arts with honours in english in 1960 and his bachelor of arts with honours in mathematics in 1961.
After surgeons fused the bones together, he was given the moniker the bionic hand. Image result for south african border war pictures with. Cape town 529 gerrie coetzee, the former boxer, appeared in the cape town magistrates court on charges of operating without a registered dental technicians license. He held the wba title from 1983 to 1984 and has earned his stripes with noteworthy knockout wins against wba world heavyweight champion, michael dokes and leon. Gerhardus christian coetzee born 8 april 1955 in boksburg, better known as gerrie coetzee, is a south african former boxer. Foe is the account of an englishwoman, susan barton, about what happened on the south atlantic island where cruso spelled by her without an e and friday were marooned and how daniel foe came to write their story. The wife south african gerrie coetzee, who won the. As professionals, their rivalry developed into a feud, both being out to prove just who the best was. Born in 1940, john maxwell coetzee grew up in cape town, south africa, where he attended st.
With courage and a strong commitment, he pursued his ambitions and reach the top ranking in sport to become the first south african to won the world heavyweight boxing champion title. Dirk coetzee, cofounder and commander of the covert south african police unit in the 1990s. Aftermath edit coetzee broke his right hand with the same punch that he knocked dokes out with. Boxing memorabilia souvenir programs and books souvenir south african programs pierre fourie vs gerrie coetzee under card 1977. The toughest fight for gerrie coetzee has always been against selfdoubt. To muhammad ali, that journalist marshall wilson rushed out a book about him. Records may include photos, original documents, family history, relatives, specific dates, locations and full names. Gerrie coetzee vuurwapens parkweg 81 willows, 9301 bloemfontein, free state rated 3. Michael dwayne mike weaver born june, 1951 is an american former professional boxer who competed from 1972 to 2000, and held the wba heavyweight title from 1980 to 1982. Gerrie coetzee left and pierre coetzer, a former sa heavyweight champ, fooling around when they met up at a recent boxing tournament in. Josephs college, and later studied mathematics and english at the university of cape town.
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