By Lucky Maree
It took years, but the man who laboured under the insultingly nickname of “Seer Handjies” (which means painful little hands) proved himself to be a man of integrity and honour with a steel will.
The malicious nickname, which was given to him by boxer Kallie Knoetze, came about after Coetzee had injured his right hand. Coetzee was also known as “The Bionic Hand” after extensive surgery.
Coetzee was born on the Gauteng East Rand in Boksburg, and was predictably named the Boksburg Bomber.
Like so many people in boxing, Coetzee was strongly opposed to apartheid. The first multiracial South African title fights were held at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on 27 November 1976 when Coetzee defeated the top black challenger James Mathatho with a seventh round knockout in a heavyweight bout for the SA championship.
Coetzee worked as a dental technician and even after he became a heavyweight world champion, he resolutely refused to become a “superstar”, unlike his arrogant, less talented, perennial opponent, Kallie Knoetze.
Knoetze was known as “The Mouth” because he never stopped joking and insulting not only other boxers but also other people. Gerrie was hardly ever provoked enough to respond to the barbs so often flung at him by Knoetze.
Although he was a very disciplined hard worker, who took his training very seriously, he always seemed a little surprised at his success.
He was not a well-spoken man and people often made fun of his soft, slightly high-pitched voice.
It is only later that he became recognised for his dignified manner and the way he never defended any of his perceived media shortcomings.
Days after Coetzee beat Michael Dokes in September 1983 to win the WBA title, Coetzee underwent surgery on his hands that had been troubling him for some time. It started a slow descent into obscurity. He relinquished his title to Greg Page in December 1984.
Gerrie was always a devoted family man, happy to spend time with his wife and extended family.
Pictured above: Gerrie Coetzee with Muhammad Ali’s former wife Khalilah Camacho-Ali and his wife Rina.
Image source: : Droeks Malan
