John Tate vs. Kallie Knoetze

John Tate 234 lbs beat Kallie Knoetze 226 lbs by TKO at 2:52 in round 8 of 12

• Date: 1979-06-02
• Location: Independence Stadium, Mmabatho, North-West, South Africa
• Referee: Isidro Rodriguez
• Judge: Stanley Christodoulou
• Judge: Jay Edson

"American heavyweight John Tate exposed South Africa's Kallie Knoetze as another 'Not-So-Great White Hope' before Venezuelan referee Isidoro Rodriguez humanely ordered a halt at 2:30 of the 8th round of the scheduled 12 rounder. Although Knoetze never hit the canvas, he was bleeding freely from the nose and under the right eye at the time of the stoppage. however, even without the bleeding, the ill-conditioned Knoetze was in no shape to fight on and appeared exhausted as early as round three. Knoetze never looked like a winner although he staged one crowd-pleasing rally in the 3rd round but his roundhouse punches looked better than they actually were." -Boxing Illustrated, September 1979 issue

• Unofficial Boxing Illustrated scorecard (after 7 completed rounds) - 69-65 Tate
• Attendance - 50,000 (app.)

Post fight comment

• "I'm a fighter not a politician." -John Tate, on fighting in South Africa during apartheid.