Former boxing champion Dingaan Thobela, also known as the “Rose of Soweto,” has passed away.
The boxer’s body was reportedly found in his apartment in Mayfair, Johannesburg.
A close friend, Eddie Mutungutu confirmed his passing: “I struggled to reach him on his mobile and I was worried. I then contacted his family to gain access to his apartment, and we found he was no more.”
The retired boxer has been ill for some time according to a friend but was working on recovering.
The three-world title champion from Soweto was meant to attend a boxing event last week but could not be due to ill health.
The 57-year-old learned boxing after being bullied by older children, as a way of defending himself.
With the guidance of Norman Have, who taught him that he could be a professional boxer, he won his first national title before turning professional in June 1986.
After two fights, which he won, he moved to campaign at the lightweight level toward a world title shot. With over three decades of boxing experience he had retired, however, was still involved in the world of boxing.
