When Dingaan Thobela entered the ring at Carnival City he got a big ovation from the crowd. He was, after all, still “The Rose of Soweto,” a charismatic, talented fighter who once held the WBO and WBA world lightweight titles and had wins over the likes of Mario Martinez, Antonio Rivera and Tony Lopez under his belt. There was a certain hopefulness, rather than confidence in those cheers, a longing that, just perhaps, he could turn back the hands of time to relive those glory years just one more time.
It seemed unlikely. Across the ring was the defending WBC super middleweight world champion, Glenn Catley. The Brit was bigger, younger and fresh off stopping Markus Beyer in the last round in Germany to win the green belt.
Since losing his WBA lightweight title to Orzubek Nazarov seven years ago in 1993, it has been a roller coaster ride. There have been nice winning streaks, like in 1995 when he almost looked like the Thobela of old, but those were interspersed by losses against both world class fighters and journeymen. And then there was his ever-increasing weight. The previous year he went up to middleweight, lost a competitive decision to Cornelius Carr in the UK and then got himself back in the win column by going up in weight once more, knocking Soon Botes down on his way to winning a decision and the South African super middleweight title in an entertaining affair.
There wasn’t really anything to suggest that he could win another major world title. Add the fact that he was trying to do it five weight divisions north of where his last world title reign took place and it seemed like a mission impossible. It looked more like one last pay day for Thobela before calling it quits.
Thobela fought at his usual controlled pace, retaliating in spurts against the busier champion. He landed some eye-catching rights here and there but Catley kept replying with combinations of his own, enough of them piercing the high guard of Thobela to bank rounds. In the sixth round both fighters were exchanging punches when a right uppercut followed by another straight right seemed to stun Catley, getting the crowd excited. Catley took command of the fight once again in the seventh, also getting away with a lot of elbows and head butts in between the legal punches landed. The eighth was another good round, with Catley appearing to feel a Thobela right but continuing to do the high-volume work. Catley finally got a point deduction in round ten for another elbow but responded by stepping on the gas, finishing the round strong and having a good eleventh round.
With the final bell sounding, Thobela was trailing on two cards and needed something dramatic. He chased after Catley but when they got to exchanging blows, Catley rocked Thobela with a right and several left hooks. With the last minute arriving it looked like Catley was on his way to retaining his title, Thobela having to console himself with having given a valiant effort.
Then the miracle happened: With under a minute to go, Thobela caught Catley with a short right that hurt him badly, the follow up punches sending him to the canvass. Catley got up and had to find a way to make it to the final bell but Thobela was on him. A right uppercut hit the spot and Thobela nailed him with a series of rights, then a left hook and two more rights on the ropes that made him stagger across the ring with Thobela landing one chopping right after another until he collapsed to the floor. He somehow managed to rise but he was too late, counted out by referee, Eddie Cotton, with seven seconds left on the clock.
The crowd was delirious and out of their seats with joy. ‘The Rose of Soweto” was a world champion once again!
