Deon Potgieter in Copenhagen
Denmark has fewer boxers than South Africa and certainly fewer world champions, but they have a positive attitude towards the noble art, which is sorely lacking in the southern tip of Africa. In fact local boxers travelling to Copenhagen may find that they have larger appeal in the Danish capital than they have in their own hometowns.
Crowd attendance at boxing tournaments averages around 4 000 per event and one night a week one of the television channels offers a full night of boxing viewing. As long as you give of your best, the fans will be behind you.
Former three-time super middleweight world champion Thulani “Sugarboy” Malinga attests to this. “After I lost my World Boxing Council world title I was rejected by the local boxing community and written off as a has-been. I couldn’t even get a South African boxing licence. The Danes invited me over, gave me a licence and that’s where I won my third world title. They treated me very well. I’ve never received the same level of popularity in South Africa as I have in Denmark.”
Danish promoter Morgans Palle concurs. “Malinga is very popular in Denmark. So much so, that I could stage a fight with him against a foreigner and the crowds would turn out in thousands to support him.” Malinga will in fact be returning to the land of the Danes later this year for his next fight.
Mads Larson, the International Boxing Organisation and World Boxing Federation super middleweight world champion said: “The fans here like South African fighters because they know they always come to fight. They’re tough guys who give it their best.” Larson has fought two South Africans in Denmark and beaten them: national champion Soon Botes and Malinga.
A rematch between Malinga and Larson, for the latter’s two world titles, is also a possibility. “I think I beat Malinga fair and square the last time,” said Larson. “But he says he had problems with his hand. He’s a really nice guy, so I’d be happy to fight him again.”
If all goes well Gary Murray will be challenging Frank Olsen later this year for the International Boxing Council (IBC) welterweight world title in Copenhagen. Morgan’s Palle said he’d like to bring a number of South African fighters to Denmark, among them Abbey Mnisi. “I want to put Mnisi in against our IBC junior bantamweight world champion, Jesper Jensen,” said Palle.
Another big name in Danish boxing is Brian Nielsen. This big-hitting heavyweight was listed as a possible candidate for Mike Tyson’s next fight after Iron Mike flattened South African Frans Botha with one of the most devastating punches seen in recent times. Owing to Tyson’s incarceration those plans soon folded. Another highly-rated American, Michael Grant, is now a likely opponent for Nielsen.
A match-up between Nielsen and South African World Boxing Union heavyweight world champion Corrie Sanders would really get the Danes going, but unlike his Danish counterpart, Sanders seems only to be matched with fighters nobody’s ever heard of.
“A big difference I’ve felt when you walk into a Danish gym is that all the boxers seem like a team,” said Mike Segal, who often promotes fights in conjunction with Morgen’s Palle.
That team spirit, as well as a sincere dedication to the sport, shines through the well-conditioned fighters in Denmark. Perhaps that’s also why South Africans are so popular here. When they relax their egos, they make good team players.