‘BLACK EAGLE’ WAS TRUE RING WARRIOR
Victor ‘Black Eagle’ Tshabalala Born: April 25 1946 Died: June 26 2016 Funeral: JUly 2 Burial: Avalon Cemetery, Soweto
AN EMOTIONAL veteran boxing chairman Peter Ngatane blames apartheid for stagnating the success of a number of the country’s boxers.
The former boxer – who currently serves as a member of the board of Boxing SA – was paying tribute to fallen hero, former Transvaal lightweight champion Victor “Black Eagle” Tshabalala.
He died at Lesedi Clinic in Diepkloof, Soweto, on Sunday morning after a long illness. He had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and also suffered from diabetes.
Tshabalala was born on April 25 1946 in Orlando East, Soweto, but later settled in Dlamini where he lived with his family.
He boxed during the dark days of apartheid when black and white fighters were not allowed to meet in the ring.
Even worse for the black boxers, they could only fight for socalled “non-white” belts while their white counterparts fought for SA titles.
However, by the time the international ban on SA sport was lifted in 1990 with the release of Nelson Mandela, the colour bar in SA boxing had long been broken.
Ngatane, a medical doctor by profession, said: “If it was not for apartheid, Victor would have been a world champion.”
He described the departed 70-year-old married father of five as an illustrious boxer who had had his own unique style.
“It is also a pity that boxers like him boxed when there was no money,” said Ngatane.
“He maintained the family and his well-run house. His children adored him.
“We, as the veteran association, are sad of his passing, while celebrating the contribution he made to boxing.”
Tshabalala – who trained at Water Branch Boxing Club before moving on to the Orlando gym of veteran trainer Richard Letsatsi – fought top name boxers, who included Alfred “Kid Bassie” Buqwana, Anthony “Blue Jaguar” Morodi, Richard “Kid” Borias, Levi “Golden Boy” Madi, Maxwell “Black Hero” Malinga and Norman “Pangaman” Sekgapane.
Only Buqwana, Madi and Sekgapane are still alive.
Tshabalala registered 48 wins (10 knockouts) from 71 fights over a 13-year career. His career had in reality ended five years earlier in 1975. That year he fought five times but won just once; two of his four losses conceded to Sekgapane and Morodi.
Black Eagle returned to the ring in 1980, drawing two bouts against Pinky Dladla in Port Elizabeth.
His funeral service on Saturday will be held at Kingdom Hall in Phiri from 9.30am and the cortege will leave for the Avalon cemetery at 10.30am.
He is survived by his wife Virginia and four children (one died two years ago).