Johnny du Plooy (27 September 1964 – 12 April 2013) was a South African former heavyweight boxer best known for his win over former WBA World Heavyweight champion Mike Weaver. He challenged once for the

WBO The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxin ...

World Heavyweight title in 1989.

Boxing career

Amateur career

du Plooy had a very impressive amateur record of 196-4.

Professional career

The tall 6'3 South African boxer began his career in 1985 with 17 straight wins. He then lost to ex-champ Mike Weaver by 7th round KO. He later avenged this defeat by knocking out Mike Weaver in two rounds and in 1989 challenged

Francesco Damiani Francesco Damiani (born 4 October 1958) is an Italian former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 1993. He was the first WBO heavyweight champion, having held the title from 1989 to 1991, as well as the European heavyweight title from 19 ...

for the vacant

heavyweight title. Du Plooy was knocked out in the third round in the World Boxing Organization's inaugural heavyweight world title bout. After this, he fought 15 more fights, compiling an overall record of 27 wins, 5 losses, and 1 draw. All of du Plooy's losses were stoppages to known opponents such as Renaldo Snipes,

, Pierre Coetzer, and

Corrie Sanders Cornelius Johannes Sanders (7 January 1966 – 23 September 2012) was a South African professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2008. He won the WBO heavyweight title in 2003 after knocking out Wladimir Klitschko in two rounds, which was ...

. Du Plooy retired in 1993 after a win, and scored another comeback win in 1997 but promptly retired.

Death

Du Plooy became overweight after his retirement. He suffered from heart problems in the few years leading up to his death. Several months before his death, he had a heart attack.

Professional boxing record

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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Duplooy, Johnny 1964 births Afrikaner people South African people of Dutch descent South African people of German descent Boxers from Gauteng Heavyweight boxers 2013 deaths South African male boxers 20th-century South African sportsmen