Dingaan Thobela Dies Aged 57;Sa Boxing Champ Dingaan “Rose Of Soweto” Thobela Found Dead In Mayfair Home
SuperSport 🏆 on X: “South African boxing legend Dingaan Thobela has died at the age of 57 after a battle with illness.
- South African boxing champion Dingaan “Rose of Soweto” Thobela has died after battling an illness.
- The celebrated boxing legend was found dead in his Mayfair, Johannesburg home on Monday night, 29 April.
- Thobela, whose full name is Dingaan Bongane Thobela was 57 years old at the time of his passing.
- During his professional career which spanned 20-years, between 1986 to 2006, Thobela was a multiple world boxing champion.
- Born in Chiawelo, Soweto the “Rose of Soweto” as he was affectionately nicknamed won the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight titles.
- He also won the World Boxing Council (WBC) super-middleweight titles, and was the recipient of the Andrew Mlangeni Green Jacket Award.
JOHANNESBURG – Condolences are pouring in for celebrated boxer Dingaan Thobela.
The ‘Rose of Soweto’ was found dead in his Johannesburg home following a period of ill health.
Thobela held three world titles in two weight divisions.
He held the WBO and WBA lightweight belts, and also the most prestigious WBC super-middleweight belt.
Thobela was 57 years old.
Dingaan Bongane Thobela was a South African professional boxer who competed between 1990 and 2006. He was a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBO lightweight title from 1990 to 1992, the WBA lightweight in 1993, and the WBC super-middleweight title in 2000.
Born: September 24, 1966, Soweto, South Africa
Died: April 29, 2024 (age 57 years)
Total Fights: 56
Height: 5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (171 cm)
Losses: 14
Other names: The Rose of Soweto
Weight(s): Lightweight; Welterweight; Middleweight; Super-middleweight
Minister Of Sport, Arts And Culture, Zizi Kodwa Expressed His Sadness At The News Of Thobela’S Passing.
“Dingaan ‘The Rose of Soweto’ Thobela was a champion fighter who captured the hearts and soul of the nation.
The Rose of Soweto progressed from a prolific amateur boxer to become a three-time world champion as a professional.
Thobela fought in some of the most memorable bouts, such as the fights against Tony Lopez for the WBA lightweight title and against Glenn Cartley to win the WBC super-middlewight title.
Through his success and popularity, Thobela was one of the world’s standout fighters in a golden period of South African boxing.
As we celebrate 30 years of South African democracy, we mourn the loss of an athlete who did so much to elevate South African sport through his success in boxing.
We also celebrate a champion boxer who inspired the nation, future boxers and champions from Soweto, Mdantsane, Thohoyandou, and other parts of the country.”
I express my deepest sympathies to the Thobela family and the South African boxing fraternity. I join millions in mourning the passing of the Rose of Soweto.”
Minister Zizi Kodwa on the passing of Dingaan “Rose of Soweto” Thobela
