Dingaan 'Rose of Soweto'

Legendary boxer, Dingaan Thobela, has recently released his autobiography written by Deon Potgieter. The book documents the three time world champion’s rise to fame.

Rose of Soweto – The Dingaan Thobela story:
Dingaan Thobela, The Rose of Soweto, has been described as the most
naturally talented boxer to ever come out of South Africa.
Growing up in Tshiawelo under the watchful eye of his grandmother, this is the
story of how a skinny boy from Soweto overcame adversity to become one of the
greatest boxers to ever lace a pair of gloves. Starting his career as a raw 17-
year-old with a passion for boxing, Dingaan Thobela would go on to become a
two-time lightweight world champion by the age of 26. Fame and fortune
followed, but the fairy tale that his life had become wasn’t to last. Seven years
after winning his first world title – having already relinquished both the WBO and
WBA world titles – he found himself on the end of two consecutive defeats to
mediocre opponents. Written off in the media and no longer able to make the weight to fight in the lightweight
division it looked as if The Rose of Soweto had no other option but to fade away quietly.
However, the man himself wasn’t finished. He still nurtured a dream of winning his third world title. And so it
was that against all the odds, three years after the end of his career had seemed inescapable, Dingaan
Thobela would again step into the ring to contest a world title. That he could win the WBC super middleweight
world title, a title five weight divisions above that in which he had won his first two titles, was almost unthinkable
– it was a feat previously only achieved by those whose names belong to legend – but by sensationally
knocking out Glenn Catley, the then world champion, The Rose of Soweto would go on to confirm his place
alongside the greatest stars that the sport has ever produced.
Many tales have been told of boxers who have risen up against the odds to achieve success in their lives.
None, however, has been as dramatic and had such a profoundly inspirational influence on the people who
shared the dream as the true life story of the man they call The Rose of Soweto. This is his story.
Dingaan ‘The Rose’ Thobela has won the following professional titles:
_ Transvaal junior lightweight champion
_ SA junior lightweight champion
_ SA super middleweight champion
_ WBO lightweight world champion
_ WBA lightweight world champion
_ WBC super middleweight world champion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
An award-winning television writer and producer, as well as a
print and electronic media journalist, Deon Potgieter is an all
round media producer and content provider with a passion for
sport. He wrote and produced the highly acclaimed 18-part
television series The Fighters, which covered the history of
boxing in South Africa from 1889 – 1990, and received a
meritorious award at the SA Boxing Awards 1991 for uplifting
the sport in the country. He was the boxing writer for the Mail &
Guardian newspaper from 1999-2004.