When Dingaan Thobela enters the ring in Copenhagen on Friday night, in his fourth consecutive world title fight as a super-middleweight, he will be starting down the aisle of destiny and facing the truth about his future as an active boxer.
Although he has already earned a unique position in boxing by being the only man to win credible world titles five weight divisions apart — and being one of the best pound-for-pound boxers South Africa has produced — he still has a hunger for more.
He acknowledges that he has nothing left to prove in the ring, but is nevertheless eager to claim his fourth world title in the hope that it could open doors for future plans of advancing the sport both in South Africa and on the African continent.
While many feel he is a spent force, because of a perceived lack of dedication when it comes to training, nobody — not even his staunchest critics — dares write him off.
At age 36, it may be a little tougher to put in the effort required to fight for a world title, but effort is something Thobela is not afraid of when he knows there is something in it for him at the end of the tunnel.
Not since his first World Boxing Council (WBC) super-middleweight title fight against Glen Catley two years ago, has Thobela been so committed to training. The fact that he has realigned with his former mentor and trainer Norman Hlabane, also bodes well, something many feel he should have done a long time ago.
His opponent for the vacant International Boxing Association super- middleweight world title is 23-year-old Mikkel Kessler. The Dane is undefeated with 29 wins and 22 knockouts. He is rated in the top 10 by several boxing bodies and is considered one of the hottest prospects in the division.
On closer evaluation, however, it’s important to note that he has never fought more than eight rounds and nor against anyone of consequence. While building impressive records on cannon fodder is sadly a trend of modern boxing, and the majority of our own top boxers are in the same position, Kessler could find himself in over his head on Friday.
Thobela has fought some of the best opposition available throughout his career and has tremendous experience against top-quality boxers. Kessler’s style is very similar to that of former World Boxing Union world champion Gary Murray. He’s very upright and comes forward. This makes him tailor-made for the Rose of Soweto. Thobela stopped Murray in four rounds a few year ago and will be looking to do the same with Kessler.
It’s a known fact that if a foreign boxer hopes to win in Denmark, he will need to do it by knockout — an added pressure for Thobela.
Kessler might have youth, speed, punching power and home-town advantage, but Thobela is a superstar. If anybody can come back against the odds, it’s the ”Rose”.
* Liverpool plays host to another two world-title fights featuring South Africans on Friday. Former WBC super-middleweight world Robin Reid (32) will be making the sixth defence of his World Boxing Federation (WBF) crown against the gutsy Mondli Monambi, and national flyweight champion Ncedo Cecane takes on Baby Jake Matlala’s nemesis, Peter Culshaw, for the vacant WBF super-flyweight world title.