Elp Others Before Helping Dokes Again
DOKES LOSES TITLE TO COETZEE
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September 24, 1983
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Gerrie Coetzee, a 28-year-old South African whose two earlier title fights ended in defeat, knocked out previously undefeated Michael Dokes tonight to capture the World Boxing Association heavyweight championship.
Ii powerful chopping right hands punctuated a thorough chirapsia that Coetzee administered to Dokes for about of the 10 rounds. After the final two rights, Dokes slowly pitched forwards on his face at 2:58 of the 10th round.
He stuck out his right hand, which grabbed the next-to-top rope strand, but was unable to become up. Referee Tony Perez counted out the 9-month Dokes reign at 3:08 of the round. A fighter cannot be saved by the bell except in the last round.
Coetzee, a five-1 underdog, thus became the start S African to proceeds even a piece of sport'southward most cherished title.
In his 2 previous W.B.A. championship shots, Coetzee was beaten by John Tate and Mike Weaver.
Coetzee, who moved to the Us on July vii, 1982 and recently applied for residency here, said he would non defend his championship in his homeland, where the policy of apartheid - separation of races - has led to that country'southward isolation in most international sporting events. ''I'yard coming back to America,'' he said. ''I'k going to defend my title where I won this title.''
He said he would return to South Africa after the nascence of his third kid. His wife, Rena, was to enter a local hospital Saturday. 'People's Champion'
Coetzee, who has been a clear spokesman against apartheid, said that when he returned domicile he would ''keep working to assist people become together.''
He had said he wanted to be a ''people's champion,'' and tonight he expressed cheers to the American people, ''and specially the American black people, and especially the American black people in the gyms.''
''I tin can cross myself that no one was ever rude to me in the gyms,'' he said. ''They accepted me as a fighter and a sportsman.''
The soft-spoken Afrikaaner also thanked Jackie McCoy, the West Coast trainer who took over his instruction six weeks ago and specially worked on improving Coetzee's left hand.
McCoy also helped give the shy Coetzee the needed confidence. The first two title shots, Coetzee said, ''I was like a 10- or 12-year-old boy given a $200,000 Ferrari to ride and I didn't capeesh it.'' McCoy gave Coetzee an economic appreciation lesson.
''I hate to bring up that white-black thing,'' said McCoy. ''Just I told him, 'Do you take any idea of how much money y'all can make as a white heavyweight champion?' '' A $250,000 Purse
Coetzee earned $250,000 this evening - the 217-pound Dokes fabricated $700,000 - for the scheduled xv-rounder at the Richfield Coliseum, virtually 10 miles from Dokes'southward home town of Akron.
Coetzee felt from the opening round that his punches were ''worrying Dokes'' and he had scored a flash knockdown with a correct hand that traveled nearly six inches in the fifth round. A nasty cutting in the corner of his right heart was opened past a Dokes left hook in the second round, but by the sixth, McCoy, one of the all-time cut men in the business, had it nether control and Coetzee had the fight under control. Non only his right hand, but the left hook that McCoy worked on extensively was hurting Dokes.
In the 10th round, Coetzee injure Dokes with a claw. He injure him with a right hand. The 25-yr-quondam champion, who had entered the bout with a 26-0-2 record, fought back bravely, but his punches were too calorie-free to bother the 215-pound Coetzee.
Then, moments earlier the finish, Coetzee said he felt ''every bone in my right manus was moving.'' The mitt, which has needed 15 operations, was in pain again.
But it was the hook that gear up up the kickoff knockdown and the hook which, finally, fix the knockout before but 7,000 spectators in the 22,000-seat arena.
The iii judges had Coetzee ahead by only a few points. Guy Jutras of Canada had Coetzee in front end, 88-85, while Fernando Viso of Venezuela had it 87-86 and Samuel Conde of Panama had information technology 87-85.
Coetzee now has a 29-3-1 tape and big-coin fights looming in the future. A unification bout against Larry Holmes, the World Boxing Council champion and generally recognized as the heavyweight champion, is unlikely in the almost future. Holmes has a Nov. 25 appointment with Marvis Frazier, by which fourth dimension he will be 34 years old, and it is questionable whether he will fight next year.
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