SA boxing legend dies
CAPE TOWN. - Willie Toweel, one of the legends of the South African boxing ring and the last of the fighting Toweel’s, passed away at his home on Christmas night. He was 83.
According to the SuperSport website, Toweel, who was born in Benoni on April 6, 1934, was a magnificent fighter and trained by his father “Papa Mike”. He developed into a brilliant amateur and won SA junior and senior titles and a bronze medal at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. It was reported that he lost only five fights as an amateur.
In his professional debut, in Johannesburg in May 1953, he beat Jackie O’Connor on points over four rounds. He won his first six fights before stopping Matthew Raaf in the seventh round to win the vacant SA bantamweight title and then beat Tony Lombard, an old rival of the Toweel’s, to become the national featherweight champion.
Toweel won his next 10 fights, beating the likes of Andre Valignat and Pappy Gault. By then he was ready to challenge Robert Cohen, a French Algerian, for the world bantamweight title.
They fought in Johannesburg on September 3, 1955. Willie was 22-years-old and confident, but already battling to make the bantamweight limit.
Cohen dropped Toweel twice in the second round, but the South African fought back and the 15-round battle turned into one of the most exciting fights in SA boxing history, ending in a draw.
Moving up in weight, he took on Johnny van Rensburg for the SA and Empire lightweight titles on December 10, 1955.
Toweel faded after a good start and retired at the end of the ninth round; his first defeat in 23 fights. It was reported that injuries to his right hand and an ankle had been the cause of his disappointing performance.
The bout was the first of five between the pair. Toweel won three and they drew over 15 rounds when he defended the SA and British Empire lightweight titles he had won from Van Rensburg on May 19, 1956.
Most experts later agreed that Toweel never reached his full potential. The reason was undoubtedly the death of Hubert Essakow after their fight in the Johannesburg City Hall on March 19, 1956. The tragedy haunted him for the rest of his life. After losing to Van Rensburg, Toweel had to defend his SA featherweight title against the top contender, Essakow.
However, both failed to make the weight and they met in a non-title fight over 12 rounds.
Toweel knocked out Essakow in the 11th round and the 21-year-old never regained consciousness. He underwent brain surgery at the Princess Nursing Home in Johannesburg, but died 52 hours after the knockout.
Campaigning in the United Kingdom he retained his Empire lightweight title against Dave Charnley and impressed in victories over Billy Kelly, Bobby Ros, Mario Calcaterra, Jimmy Carter and Jose Hernandez.
He then came home and outpointed a tough Mexican, Alvaro Nevarez, in a brilliant performance before heading back to Britain when he defeated Orlando Zulueta and Fernand Nollett early in 1958.
He lost the Empire lightweight title in a return match with Charnley when he was stopped in the 10th round. But experienced observers had noticed that Toweel tended to hold back after hurting his opponents. His record proved it. - Sport24.