Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
Former WBA heavyweight champion Gerrie Coetzee of South Africa died after being diagnosed with lung cancer at age 67. He won the title after defeating Michael Dokes in 1983, but lost the title to Greg Page in 1984.
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
Condolences to his family and friends.
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
RIP Gerrie.
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AngryGoon38
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1837
- Joined: 10 Jun 2008, 14:51
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
Wow. R.i.p Gerrie Coetzee.
That came out of nowhere !
So strange that I was very recently desiring to binge watch his bouts.
Leon Spinks, Mike Weaver, John Tate, Pinklon Thomas, Renaldo Snipes, Michael Dokes, and Greg Page.
Those were his most noteworthy bouts. The Snipes bout should've been ruled a draw imo.
Coetzee would've only lost by a close decision to Mike Weaver had they fought in a 12 rounder.
Gerrie had obvious chronic arthritis in his hands, from an early age, and erratic stamina, maybe due to A form of asthma..?
He sometimes had confidence issues as well. Maybe due to excessive anxiety disorders..?
He may have suffered with chronic panic attacks for all we know.
Coetzee could've won quite a few against quite a few in basically any era.
He was basically an 80's version of Henry Cooper combined with Jerry Quarry.
Proverbial hot and cold, hit or miss type of Boxer.
I remember reading about his phenomenal amateur carear/record, in a boxing magazine, back in 1979.
210 wins out of 212 bouts.
Passed away from Lung Cancer..?!
Did Coetzee smoke cigarettes..?
That came out of nowhere !
So strange that I was very recently desiring to binge watch his bouts.
Leon Spinks, Mike Weaver, John Tate, Pinklon Thomas, Renaldo Snipes, Michael Dokes, and Greg Page.
Those were his most noteworthy bouts. The Snipes bout should've been ruled a draw imo.
Coetzee would've only lost by a close decision to Mike Weaver had they fought in a 12 rounder.
Gerrie had obvious chronic arthritis in his hands, from an early age, and erratic stamina, maybe due to A form of asthma..?
He sometimes had confidence issues as well. Maybe due to excessive anxiety disorders..?
He may have suffered with chronic panic attacks for all we know.
Coetzee could've won quite a few against quite a few in basically any era.
He was basically an 80's version of Henry Cooper combined with Jerry Quarry.
Proverbial hot and cold, hit or miss type of Boxer.
I remember reading about his phenomenal amateur carear/record, in a boxing magazine, back in 1979.
210 wins out of 212 bouts.
Passed away from Lung Cancer..?!
Did Coetzee smoke cigarettes..?
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
Coetzee was a legitimate top fighter of his era. Only the Holmes title challenge is missing.
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
RIP Gerrie Coetzee - he fought some top heavyweights. Was a tad disappointed that at the Ajagba - Shaw card last night at Turning Stone that no ten count was given for Gerrie Coetzee. Hopefully a future card will give him the honor.
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
It is hard to believe now but Gerrie was completely disregarded before his 12-round elimination bout with Leon Spinks in Monte Carlo in the summer of 1979. Spinks had lost his previous fight to Muhammad Ali in New Orleans, a fight I watched 'live' at the Odeon in Birmingham. I couldn't believe how bad Spinks looked; Ali was finished but he had nothing to beat. Then came the big, burly, unbeaten Coetzee, who had never fought outside South Africa but was familiar to readers of Boxing News after a series of brawls with Kallie Knoetze, Mike Schutte, Jimmy Richards and Pierre Fourie. Nevertheless, Boxing News gave Coetzee no chance against Spinks, along with the bookmakers. Gerrie went out and stopped Spinks in the first round, dropping him three times.
Likewise, Gerrie was written off before his world title shot at Mike Dokes in the States in September 1983. The unbeaten Dokes was fighting in his home city of Akron but had been held to a 15-round draw by Mike Weaver in his previous fight. I reckoned that Dokes would do a real number on Weaver so the draw was a head-scratcher and suggested all was not well in the Dokes camp. Moreover, Coetzee had built up plenty of experience in the States and had the maturity and the punch to wallop Dokes in 10 rounds. Good fighter.
Likewise, Gerrie was written off before his world title shot at Mike Dokes in the States in September 1983. The unbeaten Dokes was fighting in his home city of Akron but had been held to a 15-round draw by Mike Weaver in his previous fight. I reckoned that Dokes would do a real number on Weaver so the draw was a head-scratcher and suggested all was not well in the Dokes camp. Moreover, Coetzee had built up plenty of experience in the States and had the maturity and the punch to wallop Dokes in 10 rounds. Good fighter.
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
RIP
Gerrie VS Leon Spinks in 1979 was a good match to watch.
Gerrie VS Leon Spinks in 1979 was a good match to watch.
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
Coetzee had quite a number of good fights, win, lose or draw. Him agaist Dokes and Pinky Thomas gotta be the best.
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
I thought he edged the Pinklon Thomas fight.
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
I guess the argument could be made that it was a pre-peak Pink.
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punchoutsb
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 5842
- Joined: 16 Sep 2009, 01:05
Re: Gerrie Coetzee died at age 67
Really great African fighter. Watched a lot of his fights thanks to YouTube. RIP champ!