34 Facts About Gerrie Coetzee

Gerhardus Christian Coetzee OIB was a South African professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1986, and in 1993 and 1997.

Gerrie Coetzee was the first African in history to ever fight for, and win, a world heavyweight championship, having held the WBA title from 1983 to 1984.

Gerrie Coetzee held notable knockout wins against WBA world heavyweight champion Michael Dokes and undisputed world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, as well as a draw with future WBC world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas and wins over top contenders Ron Stander, Scott LeDoux and James Tillis.

Gerrie Coetzee died of lung cancer on 12 January 2023, at the age of 67.

Gerrie Coetzee started boxing professionally on the night of 14 September 1974, when he beat 19 fight veteran and fellow South African Christian Roos by a decision in four.

Gerrie Coetzee followed his early success with a string of victories in his homeland.

Gerrie Coetzee composed himself and, with a short right hand delivered to Spinks' temple, knocked down the former world champion.

Gerrie Coetzee proceeded to drop Spinks two more times to record a first round technical knockout.

Gerrie Coetzee was the first African-born heavyweight ever to challenge for a world title.

Gerrie Coetzee would reveal later in his career that in his early fighting years, he struggled with self-confidence, particularly in measuring up to American fighters.

The first multiracial South African title fights were held at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on 27 November 1976 when Gerrie Coetzee defeated the top black challenger James Mathatho with a seventh round knockout in a heavyweight bout for the SA championship.

The new title holder Weaver traveled to South Africa in 1980 to defend his title against Gerrie Coetzee, fighting in front of a very large crowd.

Gerrie Coetzee dominated the early portions, and had Weaver hurt several times.

Gerrie Coetzee's stamina failed him and he had begun to throw fewer punches after round 9.

Gerrie Coetzee was now leaning and mauling more and was getting hit more often coming in with his unprotected head held high.

Gerrie Coetzee was knocked down for the first time in his career and failed to beat the count having been floored by a big counter punch in the 13th round.

Less than 5 months after the loss against Weaver, Gerrie Coetzee returned to the ring and beat fringe contender George Chaplin before facing Renaldo Snipes.

Gerrie Coetzee dropped Snipes twice early and seemed to dominate the action.

Again, Gerrie Coetzee held the edge in the first half of the bout but Thomas rallied to hold Gerrie Coetzee to a draw, although the result did work against either fighter.

Gerrie Coetzee dominated Dokes after a few rounds of even fighting.

Gerrie Coetzee's poise was apparent, and he boxed more deftly than usual employing more left hooks rather than merely swinging his potent right hand.

Gerrie Coetzee continued to eschew much in the way of defense, sponging anything Dokes could land.

Gerrie Coetzee became the first Caucasian world heavyweight champion in 23 years.

Gerrie Coetzee even indicated he was willing to go through with the bout though he would likely enter the ring without the WBA title.

On his return to the ring, after an extended absence, Gerrie Coetzee was paired with Greg Page.

Gerrie Coetzee was seen as supremely talented and like many fighters in the immediate post-Ali era, his size, speed, and coordination supposedly portended great expectations of achievement.

Gerrie Coetzee seemed overconfident, and can be seen delivering a lot of the trash-talking and doing less punching and trying more verbal intimidation such as he used in bouts against Tate and Weaver.

Gerrie Coetzee's lack of defense was more evident than usual, and he was a sitting duck for Page's counter-punching and his once dependable chin seemed to fail him, being stung and hurt often.

Gerrie Coetzee's right was not effective, but he was scoring with his left hand.

Gerrie Coetzee was dropped after the bell of the 6th round in a foul; and in the 7th legitimately.

Gerrie Coetzee's camp protested that not only had the 8th round run too long, but that while Gerrie Coetzee was on the canvas the bell had sounded and the referee's count should have been waved off.

Generally, this would have allowed Gerrie Coetzee to continue for at least one more round.

Gerrie Coetzee beat the former title challenger and at that time mid-level foe James "Quick" Tillis by a decision in ten.

Finally in 1997, Gerrie Coetzee lost to former world Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion Iran Barkley by a knockout in ten, after dropping him in round two, for the WBB Superheavyweight belt.