American Tony ‘The Tiger’ Lopez has said that the late former South African and world champion Dingaan ‘The Rose of Soweto’ Thobela was a great guy.
The 61-year-old Lopez from Sacramento, California, in the United States of America (USA) met Thobela twice while fighting for the World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight title.
Lopez, a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-lightweight and WBA lightweight champion defeated Thobela in their first fight held in Sacramento in February 1993 and then lost on points when they clashed at Sun City in Rustenburg four months later.
“Thobela did South Africa proud. He was a great guy even outside the ring. He was a gentleman. But as a fighter, it was business. It was a job and a part of what we do. It was great to be in South Africa. I was happy to be fighting in South Africa,” Lopez said during an interview on Radio 2000’s Game On show on Wednesday evening.
Thobela’s lifeless body was found at his flat in Langlaagte, Johannesburg, on Monday. Thobela, who was born in Chiawelo, Soweto, was 57 years old.
