Death is a reality the living contend with until they embrace their mortality and return to dust, with the world only able to ride on the memories of them. Legacy. For heavyweight boxer Gerrie Coetzee, death came knocking yesterday, Thursday, January 12. He was 67.
His death follows a short battle with cancer. His daughter Kana confirmed his death.
Since the news of his death broke, those who know him and his sojourn in the world of boxing have been sharing their thoughts n social media, with some sad that he should lose the battle to cancer finally, and others calling him a true South African legend.
The legend tag is actually fitting on many counts. For one, the celebrated boxer had several remarkable wins in his career and even smashed Michael Dokes in the heavyweight bout in 1985, earning the position of the first man on the continent to do so.
Coetzee’s wins weren’t without their consequences. In the course of his career, he underwent about 23 hand surgeries – pretty heavy even for a boxer.
And now his lease expires on earth and the world can only embrace the memories he created while on the material plane. Details of his funeral will be out shortly.
