Gerhardus Christian "Gerrie" Coetzee (born 8 April 1955) is often a South African former professional boxer who

competed from 1974 to 1986, As well as in 1993 and 1997.[one] He was the very first boxer in the African
continent ever to fight for, and get, a entire world heavyweight championship, possessing held the WBA title from
1983 to 1984. One among Coetzee's nicknames, "The Bionic Hand", came about as a result of persistent difficulties
along with his correct hand, which required the insertion of numerous corrective things throughout a few surgical
procedures. His Afrikaans nickname was "Seer Handjies", or "Tiny Sore Arms", named so by fellow South African
boxing excellent Kallie Knoetze. Coetzee fought the likes of Iran Barkley, Greg Web page, Pinklon Thomas, Frank
Bruno, Leon Spinks, Mike Weaver, and Michael Dokes.

Contents

Specialist job

1.1

Increase to championship rivalry

1.2

Initial entire world title endeavor

1.3

2nd earth title endeavor

1.4

Highway to a 3rd title bout

one.5

WBA heavyweight winner

one.6

Unsuccessful unification and defeat

1.seven

Publish-championship occupation

two

Experienced boxing record

three
References

four

Exterior hyperlinks

Experienced vocation[edit]

Rise to championship contention[edit]

Coetzee started off boxing skillfully to the evening of 14 September 1974, when he beat 19 combat veteran and
fellow South African Christian Roos by a decision in four. He followed that earn with 21 consecutive wins to
succeed in a document of twenty-two-0 prior to fighting to the WBA heavyweight title for the first time. Among
the People wins was just one around Roos in a very rematch, which Coetzee received by a knockout in a few
rounds; wins more than previous environment title challengers Ron Stander, Randy Stephens and Pierre Fourie; a
South African Heavyweight championship victory against novice rival Kallie Knoetze (unanimous decision in 10) in
addition to a initially-round knockout of previous environment heavyweight champion Leon Spinks. With
exception from the Spinks bout, held at Monte Carlo, the remainder of Coetzee's fights all through his early run
were being held in his native South Africa.

Spinks attacked Coetzee and pressured him, throwing punches from lots of angles and attempting to steam-roll
the South African. Coetzee composed himself and a brief ideal hand sent to Spinks' temple knocked down the
previous environment winner. Coetzee proceeded to drop Spinks two far more moments to history a
technological knockout. The gain Increased Coetzee's standing as an actual title menace in the article-Ali
landscape from the heavyweight division.

1st world title try[edit]

Coetzee confronted John Tate to the WBA heavyweight title that had been remaining vacant by Muhammad Ali.
Coetzee became the first African-born heavyweight at any time to problem for just a earth title. Coetzee fought a
tentative bout and, just after holding his very own early, light through the midpoint in the bout onward. Tate
gained a decision around 15 rounds. Coetzee would reveal later in his vocation that in his early fighting yrs, he
struggled with self-self-confidence, specifically in measuring as much as American fighters.

The very first major boxing celebration in South Africa to change the encounter of sports in apartheid South Africa
was the fight concerning Bob Foster and Pierre Fourie on 1 December 1973. This laid business foundations for
racially blended boxing in front of racially blended audiences. Mixed bouts concerning South Africans were
legalised in 1977, but the last vestiges from the colour bar disappeared only two a long time afterwards when the
process of white, black and supreme titles was abolished.

The very first multiracial SA title fights were being held with the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on 27 November
1976 when Gerrie Coetzee and Elijah 'Faucet Tap' Makhatini grew to become undisputed champions.[two]

Second globe title endeavor[edit]

Tate lasted only a brief time as WBA planet titlist, as he was KO'd in magnificent past-spherical trend by Mike
Weaver in his initial title defense. In the meantime, Coetzee experienced managed his position being a really rated
contender having a gain more than Mike Koraniki in the 1st spherical to help keep his title hopes alive. Weaver
traveled to South Africa in 1980 to protect his title from Coetzee, fighting before an exceedingly substantial group.
Coetzee dominated the early portions, and experienced Weaver damage several instances. While in the 8th,
Weaver was in trouble but Coetzee could not capitalize.
With the opportunity to finish Weaver gone, Coetzee seemed to wilt. gerrie coetzee Weaver was starting to time
Coetzee's punches for counters. By round 12 the battle was close to even, Along with the South African's direct
possessing evaporated. Weaver experienced survived Coetzee's onslaught along with the tide had turned.
Coetzee's stamina failed him and he had started to toss fewer punches following spherical nine. Coetzee was now
leaning and mauling much more and was finding strike a lot more generally coming in together with his
unprotected head held substantial. Weaver was accelerating and was getting the far better of exchanges because
the bout wore on. Coetzee was knocked down for The 1st time in his vocation and out by a large counter punch
while in the 13th round.

Street to a third title bout[edit]

Fewer than five months following the loss versus Weaver, Coetzee returned to your ring and defeat fringe
contender George Chaplin just before facing Renaldo Snipes. Coetzee dropped Snipes early and seemed to
dominate the motion. However, the battle was scored by rounds and never on factors, meaning a spherical
received extensively with knockdowns was no extra valued than a spherical lost narrowly, and he misplaced a 10-
round conclusion which was considered one of several worst with the 10 years.[citation necessary]

Coetzee experienced gone five-1 during the six fights since the Weaver bout. Among the wins was 1 in excess of
former title challenger Scott Le Doux heading into a bout With all the up-and-coming upcoming WBC champion
Pinklon Thomas. Once again, Coetzee held the edge in the primary 50 percent of your bout but Thomas rallied to
carry Coetzee to the draw. Pursuing his loss to Snipes and draw with Thomas, Coetzee wasn't thought of a solid
title contender.

WBA heavyweight winner[edit]

Major write-up: Gerrie Coetzee vs. Michael Dokes

Coetzee received his 3rd earth title try in opposition to WBA winner Michael Dokes. By now known as a person
who could not gain "The Big One", Coetzee's predicted destiny During this bout was to indicate-situation the Don
King-promoted Dokes' capabilities and status for a soaring star.

The fight came about on 23 September 1983 within the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio. Coetzee dominated
Dokes following a several rounds of even fighting. The South African led with aggression but additionally utilised
counter punching also. Coetzee's poise was apparent, and he boxed much more deftly than regular utilizing more
left hooks when nonetheless eschewing Significantly in just how of defense, sponging everything Dokes could
land and scoring a knockdown. Coetzee knocked out Dokes while in the tenth spherical to be South Africa's
initially globe Heavyweight title holder. He also became the first Caucasian earth heavyweight champion in 23 a
long time. The struggle was KO Journal's "Upset on the Year" for 1983.[citation essential]

It turned out which the punch that knocked out Dokes damage Coetzee much more: his proper hand was broken
and necessary medical procedures five times after the fight, in Ny city.

Unsuccessful unification and defeat[edit]

There was Substantially discuss a unification bout with the recognized greatest fighter inside the division and now
Global Boxing Federation Champion, Holmes, in 1984, and a deal for the lucrative bout was signed. Holmes
possessed only among the three title belts but was acknowledged by most as the actual, bona fide,
champion.[citation needed]

Monetary complications arose if the backer of the bout, JPD Sports out of Dallas, Texas, couldn't raise the original
purse vital. Caesar's Palace spoke of conserving the promotion, nevertheless it fell through. Don King's
involvement as Coetzee's promoter, along with Larry Holmes' split with King Beforehand also contributed to your
bout not getting designed. Holmes desired to conserve the bout which might have attained equally him and
Coetzee a significant sum of cash. Coetzee was personally willing and keen for your bout. He even indicated he
was ready to go through Using the bout nevertheless he would probable enter the ring with no WBA title. The
WBA experienced stated that for the bout to happen with its blessing, it needed Holmes to fight for a contender
for Coetzee's belt. Or, the WBA would have to have Coetzee to drop his belt to qualify like a challenger for
Holmes'.

Holmes noticed no basis for the WBA to preside about a bout concerning the two Males. The WBA insisted
Coetzee couldn't deal with Holmes, Regardless of the reality Holmes had been identified as the very best
heavyweight on the planet since 1978. In any celebration, Coetzee re-hurt his hand through schooling camp,
requiring additional medical procedures, along with the battle was cancelled.

On his return to your ring, following an extended absence, Coetzee was paired with Greg Web page (the real #one
contender David Bey, refused to check out South Africa as explained in "Only in the united states: The Existence
and Crimes of Don King" by Jack Newfield, Bey turned the #1 by outpointing Greg Website page around 12
rounds). Website page was all the more stigmatized by failing to gain massive fights than was Coetzee. He was
viewed as supremely talented and like quite a few fighters from the quick post-Ali period, his size, velocity and
coordination supposedly portended great expectations of achievement. Though Web page could seem particularly
impressive, as towards James Tillis by way of example, he also was found as lazy and unmotivated.[citation
necessary]

On this bout Web site did a lot less posing than ordinary, and did much more battling putting on an energetic
functionality. Coetzee appeared overconfident, and may be viewed providing a lot of the trash-conversing and
performing fewer punching and striving extra verbal intimidation such as he Utilized in bouts from Tate and
Weaver. But Web site was on far better type than when he had shed to Bey. Coetzee for his part was dangerous
and whilst sloppy, was obtaining his personal photographs dwelling. The challenger's strong chin nullified
Coetzee's energy to some extent. The two exchanged momentum. Coetzee's lack of protection was more evident
than normal, and he was a sitting duck for Web page's counter-punching and his at the time trustworthy chin
looked as if it would are unsuccessful him, getting stung and hurt generally. His proper was not successful, but he
was scoring with his still left hand. He was dropped following the bell in the 6th spherical within a foul; and from
the 7th legitimately. Webpage was Benefiting from Coetzee's recklessness. In exchange immediately after
exchange given that the bout wore on, it had been Coetzee, the "puncher", losing the skirmishes and remaining
damage. He was knocked out in Spherical eight. But, there was controversy.

Coetzee's camp protested that not only had the 8th spherical operate far too prolonged, but also that when
Coetzee was to the canvas the bell experienced sounded plus the referee's depend must have been waved off.
Commonly, This might have permitted Coetzee to carry on for a minimum of one more spherical. The 8th, the
spherical in issue actually did operate for nearly a moment as well very long.[citation wanted] Despite this, the
WBA regarded The end result since it took place, and affirmed Page because the winner by a knockout in 8.
Coetzee and his camp demanded a right away rematch. As a substitute, Web page went on to encounter Tony
Tubbs whom he had beaten quite a few periods within the amateurs.

Publish-championship job[edit]

Soon after getting rid of his title, Coetzee created token attempts in a comeback. He beat the former title
challenger and At the moment mid-level foe James "Speedy" Tillis by a call in 10. Subsequent was a journey to
England to battle the massive-punching contender Frank Bruno. While in the offing might be a shot within the
WBA title, since gain by Tim Witherspoon (who experienced defeated Tubbs, who had defeated Site). Coetzee was
knocked out in spherical a person. Following that battle, he introduced his retirement, but came back twice in the
course of the nineties, successful by knockout in three from both equally Dave Fiddler and Wes Turner in 1993,
then winning in opposition to Dan Komiscki in 3. Coetzee misplaced to former globe Middleweight and Light
Heavyweight winner Iran Barkley by a knockout in 10, just after dropping him in round two, for that WBB
Superheavyweight belt.