Blast from the past: SA wallop India to qualify for World Cup semis

Today in SA sports history: March 15

1987 — Baby Jake Matlala suffers his only stoppage defeat at the hands of a SA boxer, quitting after the 11th round against SA junior-flyweight champion Vuyani Nene in Uitenhage. Matlala and Nene fought each other four times in total, with Nene winning all of them. Matlala went on to win four world titles, while Nene failed in his only shot.

1991 — Brian Mitchell becomes the first SA boxer to try unify world titles as he takes on American Tony Lopez in his backyard in Sacramento. Mitchell, making the 12th defence of his WBA junior-lightweight crown, was trying to add the IBF belt to his mantle. Mitchell did enough to win the fight, but the judges scored it a draw. Mitchell’s 12 defences — which were all abroad because of apartheid — was a record for the division. He later gave up the WBA belt for a second crack at Lopez later in the year...