This week, the family of former boxing champion Dingaan Bongani Thobela confirmed his passing at his Mayfair apartment after struggling to reach him for a few days. The 57-year-old boxer has been described as generous, accommodating and a very nice person. We look at some of the things he will be remembered for:

Dingaan's first promoter Thinus Strydom is reported to have given him the nickname, The Rose Of Soweto. Thinus started working with him in the mid-1980s and curated over 24 of his fights. Thinus was like a father figure to Dingaan.

Dingaan's last recorded boxing match was on 27 October 2007 at Wembley Indoor Arena, Johannesburg, against Soon Botes. Dingaan failed to make weight and Botes' gloves touched the canvas in the 6th round and was ruled a knockdown. Thobela didn't come out for round 10.

He and his wife, Sandra, from Denmark separated in 2014 after she claimed he fathered three children out of wedlock. Among his other kids is Thando, in his late 20s, with singer Winnie Khumalo. Winnie and Dingaan dated almost 30 years ago for a few years before she gave birth to her firstborn son.

EARLY YEARS

Dingaan was born at Baragwanath Hospital on 24 September 1966. His mother named him Bongani, but the name Dingaan was later added by his paternal grandmother as there was already a Bongani in his family. His parents separated soon after he was born. The third child out of eight children, he was raised by his grandmother. He was known as Bongani Mahlangu until she changed his name to Dingaan, after the late Zulu king.

THE MEMOIRE 

In 2012, award-winning writer, producer, and director Deon Potgieter published a book on Dingaan's life, titled Rose Of Soweto: The Dingaan Thobela Story. The book tells the story of how "a skinny boy from Soweto overcame adversity to become one of the greatest boxers to lace up a pair of gloves. Starting his career as a raw 17-year-old with a passion for boxing, Dingaan Thobela would go on to become a two-time lightweight world champion by the age of 26." The book states that he had been written off in the media and could no longer weigh to fight in the lightweight division and faded away quietly. Dingaan died having owned a funeral paelour. Through his business he helped fellow boxers, financially.