Former boxing champion, Dingaan Thobela has passed away at the age of 57.

South African boxer Dingaan Thobela has sadly passed away at the age of 57. Thobela was found dead at his home in Mayfair, Johannesburg after battling illness. Known as the ‘Rose of Soweto’, he boxed professionally for 16 years from 1990 and claimed three world titles in two weight divisions.

Thobela won the World Boxing Organisation lightweight title in 1990, the World Boxing Association lightweight crown three years later and the World Boxing Council super-middleweight title in 2000. He went 80-3 as an amateur and won a national title before turning professional in June 1986.

Thobela claimed the national junior lightweight title in his 13th fight by stopping Mpisekhaya Mbaduli in the eighth round. Two fights later, his handlers began to match him with former opponents of WBA titleholder Brian Mitchell Thobela dispatched them in turn, first Daniel Londas (MD 10), then Danilo Cabrera (TKO 3), then Felipe Orozco (TKO 10).