Former world boxing champion Dingaan Thobela passed away on Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the age of 57.
A family spokesperson confirmed the news to AFP, stating that Thobela had been suffering from ill health.
Nicknamed the “Rose of Soweto,” Thobela enjoyed a distinguished professional career spanning 16 years, from 1990 to 2006.
He solidified his place in boxing history by capturing three world titles across two weight divisions.
Thobela’s rise to prominence began in 1990 when he clinched the World Boxing Organization lightweight title.
Three years later, he added the World Boxing Association lightweight crown to his collection.
Capping off his illustrious career, Thobela secured the World Boxing Council super-middleweight title in 2000.
Thobela’s passing leaves a void in the boxing community. Details surrounding the specific illness he battled remain undisclosed.
