DEON POTGIETER, London | Monday 9.15am.
ALTHOUGH showing signs of his former greatness in the late rounds of his World Boxing Federation world middleweight title fight on Sunday night, Dingaan Thobela should hang up his gloves.
Thobela lost a twelve round decision to champion Cornelius Carr in England.
“The Rose”, a shadow of the man he once was, started out slowly and was content to let the champion pound away at his midsection. He showed flashes of his former glory when releasing his razor sharp left jab and uppercut.
These blows carried authority, but were just too few and far between to make a lasting impression on the champion, who pressurised the flat footed Thobela from the start of the fight.
Trailing on points, Thobela suddenly came to life in the eighth round and dominated the bout from there on out. It was unfortunately too little too late.
Although Carr never hurt the challenger, he maintained a superior work-rate. Thobela often stunned the champion into submission and Carr was prone to clinging onto his man in the late rounds.
Had Thobela been a little more fleet footed or started his attack earlier on, he may have won the bout, but the fire which drove him to win two world titles, burns no more.
In all honesty it was sad to see the man who once was, lose to a man who never really will be.
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