JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Dingaan Thobela, the renowned South African boxer and two-weight world champion famously known as “The Rose of Soweto,” has passed away at the age of 57, according to the Ministry of Sports.
Thobela captured the WBO lightweight title in 1990 and the WBA lightweight title in 1993 after defeating American Tony Lopez in a rematch. His career peaked when he moved up to super-middleweight and secured the WBC belt with a dramatic 12th-round stoppage of Britain’s Glenn Catley in 2000.
Over his professional career, Thobela achieved a record of 40 wins, 14 losses, and 2 draws.
Hailing from Soweto, a famed township in Johannesburg, Thobela became a national icon. His career flourished during the 1980s and 1990s, aligning with the golden era of South African boxing. He was one of several elite Black fighters who emerged in the final years of apartheid, a period when boxing was one of the few sports in South Africa that allowed Black athletes to compete globally and gain international acclaim.
“As we celebrate 30 years of South African democracy, we mourn the loss of an athlete who significantly elevated South African sport through his boxing success,” said Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa. “We also celebrate a champion who inspired the nation and future generations of boxers from Soweto, Mdantsane, Thohoyandou, and beyond.”
While the cause of death has not been disclosed, the Sowetan newspaper reported that Thobela was found dead in his Johannesburg apartment on Monday evening.
