South African boxers,Zolile Mbityi and Peter Malinga both win world titles

IBO Championship Belt

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

22 October 1999 was a red-letter day in South African boxing history, as both Zolile Mbityi and Peter Malinga captured world titles. Mbityi, South African (SA) flyweight, won the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) flyweight title, while Peter Malinga, SA welterweight, won the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) welterweight title. The number of South African world champions peaked in the 1990's. The country had six world champions in 1995, five the following year and six in 1997. In 1998, the number stood at eight, and in 1999 at five world title holders. However, the term of "world champion" has become a misnomer as in most cases modern title holders are not world champions in the sense that the term was understood prior to the sixties. Presently they are merely WBA, WBC, WBO, WBU, IBO or IBF champions or belt holders.

How we know this

01South Africa.info, ' South Africa's boxing champs ',[online], Available at www.southafrica.info ,[Accessed : 8 November 2012]
02Supersport,' Ton of titles for SA boxers ' ,[online] Available at www.supersport.com ,[Accessed: 8 November 2012]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). South African boxers,Zolile Mbityi and Peter Malinga both win world titles. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013465

South African History Online (2011) 'South African boxers,Zolile Mbityi and Peter Malinga both win world titles', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013465 (Accessed: 14 November 2026).

South African History Online, South African boxers,Zolile Mbityi and Peter Malinga both win world titles [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013465, (accessed 14 November 2026).

"South African boxers,Zolile Mbityi and Peter Malinga both win world titles." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013465. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

South African History Online. "South African boxers,Zolile Mbityi and Peter Malinga both win world titles." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013465.