THE “Rose of Soweto”, former world boxing champion Dingaan Thobela, has narrowly escaped a ban after weighing in seven kilograms overweight for his welterweight bout against Argentina’s Adrian Daneff last Saturday. The bout was reduced from a title fight to an international contest and Thobela forfeited half his purse to his opponent. That penalty led to him escaping a ban and the revoking of his licence by the Gauteng Boxing Commission has been suspended. In a public apology, Thobela has agreed to most of the charges levelled against him, including putting his hands on the scales to apparently make himself lighter. The boxer also said he will join the middle-weight division.