[Ian Lord]

"In a career that has so far blown hot and cold, Gerrie Coetzee is a national sporting hero in his homeland of South Africa." - South Africa Sun's Nelson Ndlovu prior to Gerrie Coetzee's bout with Trevor Berbick.

On the night of March 12th, in Johannesburg, Gerrie Coetzee blew cold, whilst Trevor Berbick was on fire. Berbick put on the best display of his career so far, beating Coetzee by a unanimous decision by scores of 99-98 twice, and 99-90, winning every round, except the ninth. Berbick spent the entire bout setting Coetzee up with the jab, then punching in solid combinations to take the victory, whereas Coetzee looked to land single, damaging blows, missing more often than connecting.

Berbick showed his superior boxing skills in the opening round, opening up a gash under Coetzee's left eye in the process. Berbick continued to dominate Coetzee, with the fifth round being close, for the remainder of the fight, except the ninth which Coetzee took.berbick put his opponent down in the fifth, with a series of unanswered punches to the head and body. He also put his foe down right at the end of the fight with an inch perfect cross.

This win puts Berbick in line for another crack at Lennox Lewis, who beat him on cuts in January. This time the vacant Commonwealth title will be on the line.

"I knew I'd beat this guy tonight," Berbick stated after the bout, "because that loss to Lewis hurt me so much I need another shot at him. There was no way that fight should have been stopped, but this time I'll return the favour and I'll stop him - in the first round."

Big words, put can he back them up. On tonights performance he stands a very good chance.

In an absolute sizzler of a fight, Maurice Hope won a split decision against Ayub Kalule with scores of 96-95 twice for Hope, and 96-95 for Kalule. It was a really close fight, but Hope did do just enough to grab the decision.

Kalule started well, taking the first two fast paced rounds with the better boxing, causing swelling around Hope's right eye in the process. Hope took the next two with his more telling punches. Again both men kept up a quick pace with plenty of punches thrown. Kalule took the fifth, Hope the sixth. By the end of the sixth both mens workrate had begun to dip, especially Kalules, who began to carry his hands low. The pace slowed dramatically in the seventh, with both men taking a breather in a pretty even round. Kalule took the eighth round, headbutting Hope in the process which caused a really bad gash under his right eye. The referee did nothing. Maurice Hope needed to take the last two rounds to pull the decision out, and he did, landing the more blows against Kayule, who appeared to have punched himself out.

Undercard Action.

Lennox Lewis avenged his only defeat when he stopped Anthony Willis in the fifth round. Lewis took the opening round, but then Willis bounced back and took the next round, with the third even. Lewis then began to take control, with Willis fading quickly. By the time of the stoppage at the 2.55 mark, Willis was no longer defending himself.

Iran 'The Blade' Barkley won a split decision against Japan's Tadeshi Mihara. Barkley got off to a blistering start, winning three of the first four rounds, with the third round even. Mihara won the fifth comfortably and looked to be winning the sixth, before a strong finish by Barkley impressed the judges. Barkley, however, punched himself out in the process, and Mihara took the last two rounds, but it was too late, and Barkley won with scores of 77-76 twice, and 77-76 Mihara.

Jody Ballard got his first win in the pro ranks, beating debuting Marvin Camel by scores of 38-37 twice, and 39-37 over four rounds. Both fighters won two rounds apiece, but the knockdown scored by Ballard in the second round from a cross won the fight for him.

In the opener, fellow debutant Sumbu Kalambay took a majority decision over Larry Banks, with scores of 39-37 twice, and 38-38. Kalambay looked impressive, putting his punches together in three and four punch combinations, and winning three of the four rounds.