Gerrie Coetzee Obituary, Funeral

Gerrie Coetzee was a professional boxer from South Africa who competed from 1974 to 1986, as well as in 1993 and 1997.

Gerrie Coetzee died on Thursday, 12th of January 2023, at the age of 67. Lana Coetzee, his daughter, told the South African outlet IOL Sport that her father died from “an aggressive form of cancer” that they only discovered the week before.

He was the first African to compete for and win a world heavyweight title, holding the WBA title from 1983 to 1984.

He had notable knockout victories over former unified world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks and WBA world heavyweight champion Michael Dokes, as well as a draw with future WBC world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas.

One of Coetzee’s nicknames, “The Bionic Hand,” arose from persistent problems with his right hand, which necessitated the insertion of several corrective items throughout three surgeries.

His Afrikaans nickname was “Seer Handjies,” or “Sore Little Hands,” which was given to him by fellow South African boxing legend Kallie Knoetze.

A movie on the life and career of Coetzee titled “Against All Odds” had been in production before his death, but will now have to be released posthumously.