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Ambassadors: Boxing
Vuyani Bungu (South Africa)
Known as “The Beast”, Vuyani Bungu, ironically a quietly-spoken man, enjoyed a tremendous boxing career, losing only three times in a 40-fight career. With an upset win over Kennedy McKinney, a former Olympic Games gold medal winner, Bungu became IBF junior featherweight champion in August 1994. His victory made people sit up and take note because McKinney was regarded by some as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Bungu went on to hold on to his world title for almost six years, defending it on 13 occasions. His hard-working manner is best shown by the fact that 11 of his world title fights went the distance and he won them all.
Baby Jake Matlala (South Africa)
The only South African boxer in history to win four world titles, ‘Baby’ Jake Matlala, standing only 1.48m (4 foot 10 inches) tall, won the WBO flyweight, WBO junior flyweight, IBA junior flyweight and WBU junior flyweight titles during a career
spanning 66 bouts. The signature fight of his career was a nine-round TKO victory he enjoyed over Michael Carbajal, at that time recognised as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. Such was the stature that Matlala achieved during his career that when he fought for the final time – a seventh round stoppage of Juan Herrera – well-known boxing fan, former SA President Nelson Mandela, was at ringside to watch him in action.
Brian Mitchell (South Africa)
Considered by many to be South Africa’s finest ever world champion boxer, Brian Mitchell won the WBA junior-lightweight title in 1986 and defended it a world record 12 times before retiring in 1991. He was the ultimate road warrior, having to defend his crown abroad because of the South African government’s apartheid policy at that time. Mitchell was always in superb condition for his fights and, at a time when bouts lasted 15 rounds, he often came through in the final quarter of his contests to claim
victory. He wound up his career with only one loss in 45 fights. Today he is a respected trainer and manager.
Welcome Ncita (South Africa)
Welcome Ncita emerged from East London’s Mdantsane township to become one of the best boxers to come out of that hotbed of boxing, winning the IBF junior featherweight title in 1990 and subsequently successfully defending it on six occasions. His excellent career began on 31 March 1984 and it wasn’t until 2 December 1992 that he suffered his first loss. From the same gym as his schoolboy friend Vuyani Bungu, also a world champion, Ncita eventually won 37 of his 40 career fights, with two of his losses coming in world title bouts. Today Ncita is still involved in boxing and has already trained his first world champion.
Dingaan Thobela (South Africa)
Boxer Dingaan Thobela, known to his fans as “the Rose of Soweto” has enjoyed an incredibly long and fruitful career, campaigning in weights from lightweight to
light-heavyweight and winning three world titles – four if the lightly regarded WBF super-middleweight title is included - along the way. His first fight took place way back in June 1986 and he remains active today. As a fast, smooth-moving lightweight with a sharp jab, Thobela won both the WBA and WBO world titles in the early 1990s. He was unbeaten in his first 25 fights, winning 19 of them by knockout. In 1998 questions were asked about Thobela’s commitment to boxing, but he returned for two bouts in 1999 and then stunned Glenn Catley in 2000 to capture the WBC super-middleweight title. That world crown came just short of 10 years to the day that he won his first world title!
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Sports ambassador Baby Jake Matlala on the night of his biggest career win: a nine-round demolition of Michael Carbajal |
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