Tourists page Investors page Immigrants page Citizens page South Africans Abroad page Home page Wed, 10 Feb 2010
Essential Information
  About South Africa
  South Africa map
  SA photo galleries
  SA web directory
  Site map
Public Services
  Advice for citizens
  Advice for foreigners
  South Africans abroad
Doing business
  Economy
  Investing in South Africa
  Trade with South Africa
  Trends & Growth
  Business news
Plan a trip
  Holiday experiences
  Smart travel tips
What's happening
  News and features
  Arts and entertainment
  Conferences and expos
more  Sport

Weather

South African Weather Service


Quick forecasts
SA Weather Service

SA Web Directory
SA Web Directory

Mapping the best sites in SA cyberspace - goSouthAfrica

South Africa Map
South African Map

Find your way
on our interactive
macro-to-micro South Africa map



BOXING
Thobela's comeback bid flops

2 December 2002

Dingaan Thobela on Friday suffered his 10th loss in his boxing career when Danish fighter Mikkel Kessler defeated him on points at the Falconer Centre in Copenhagen for the vacant International Boxing Association super middleweight title.

The youthful Kessler won all the 12 rounds convincingly, according to the judges' score cards, improving the 23-year-old's record to 29 wins with 22 knockouts and landing him the IBA super middleweight crown.

Thobela, who was hoping to win a fourth world title, admitted after the fight that Kessler was too good. Said Thobela of his opponent: "He fought well and was the busiest man. He threw more punches than I did and was very strong."

Thobela also acknowledged that Kessler was as good as his record suggested: "It was the first time that I had bombarded an opponent with an avalanche of punches yet that opponent still stood there in front of me."

But Thobela, who is 37 years old, said he was not prepared to quit yet. "I'm not done yet. I will sit down with my trainer (Norman Hlabane) and plan my future. I am not making any excuses but if I can be given a rematch I promise I will do well."

This is Thobela's third consecutive loss after he was outpointed by Dave Hilton in December 2000 and by the hard hitting Eric Lucas in November 2001. All these three losses have been incurred in the super middleweight division, an unfamiliar territory for Thobela who has campaigned as a lightweight for most of his career.

Some of his admirers argue that Thobela should acknowledge that his power, venom and determination he possessed while campaigning in the lightweight division have deserted him. "Time is against him. Dingaan is a successful businessman and he should rather direct his energies into his businesses," an admirer was quoted as saying.

SouthAfrica.info reporter

Print this page Send this article to a friend



Should Dingaan Thobela hang up his gloves after his latest defeat?

  • Baloyi retains his title
  • South Africa's boxing champs
  • Boxing: Brian Mitchell
  • Boxing: 'Baby Jake' Matlala
  • Boxing: Dingaan Thobela
  •  Supersport


  • South African Tourism Wines of South Africa Proudly South African South Africa Government Online South African Broadcasting Corporation Department of Trade and Industry South Africa
    Tourists | Investors | Immigrants | Citizens | South Africans Abroad Home | Site Map | South Africa Map | SA Web Directory
    Design, contents, site maintenance: Big Media Publishers (Pty) Limited
    Queries about the site? Contact the webmaster
    Published for the International Marketing Council of South Africa.
    Reliance on the information this website contains is at your own risk.
    Please read our Terms and Conditions of Use.