by Gerrie Coetzee Obituary, Death – We mourn the loss of Boxing Legend Gerrie Coetzee with deep sorrow. His demise has left a big hole in our hearts. Gerhardus Christian Coetzee was a former professional boxer from South Africa. He fought in the sport from 1974 until 1986, as well as in 1993 and 1997. Gerhardus Christian Coetzee was born on April 8, 1955. He was the first African ever to compete for and win a world heavyweight championship. He held the WBA belt from 1983 to 1984. He was the first African ever to win a world heavyweight championship.
Coetzee took part in the tournament on multiple occasions, first from 1974 until 1986 and then again in 1993 and 1997. When his career was through, he had fought in a total of 40 bouts and finished with a record of 33 wins, six losses, and one draw. Twenty one of his victories were decided by knockouts, and they were the deciding factor in all of them. The first boxer from Africa to ever win a world heavyweight championship, which he did, was Coetzee. Between the years 1983 and 1984, he was the WBA champion. In addition to this, Coetzee was the first boxer from Africa to ever win a world championship.
Gerrie Coetzee has a number of notable knockout victories to his name, including ones over Leon Spinks, a former unified world heavyweight champion, and Michael Dokes, a former WBA world heavyweight champion. Coetzee also fought Pinklon Thomas, who would later become the WBC world heavyweight champion at the time, and fought to a draw with him.
