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Gerrie Coetzee’s Bionic Hand Ends Michael Dokes’s Reign

Michael Dokes had the faster hands and a title defense close to home on September 23, 1983. Gerrie Coetzee had two failed title bids and Gerrie Coetzee’s Bionic Hand Ends Michael Dokes’s Reign @ Boxing News 24

Boxing News 24

Published: Wednesday, 23 September 2026 at 10:50 PM

Key Things to Know

Gerrie Coetzee knocked out Michael Dokes at 3:08 of round ten to win the WBA heavyweight title.
Coetzee overcame 5-1 odds and previously failed title bids to secure the victory at Richfield Coliseum.
Dokes was knocked down twice during the fight, once in the fifth round and finally in the tenth.

The Story in 60 Seconds

On September 23, 1983, Gerrie Coetzee defeated Michael Dokes via a tenth-round knockout to claim the WBA heavyweight championship at the Richfield Coliseum. Dokes entered the bout as a 5-1 favorite in front of a home-state crowd, but Coetzee knocked him down in the fifth round and remained ahead on all official scorecards entering the final stages.

Coetzee secured the victory after referee Tony Perez counted Dokes out at 3:08 of the tenth round following a decisive left-right combination. Coetzee fractured his right hand during the bout, which required surgery and kept him out of competition for over a year before losing the title to Greg Page.

Read the full article on Boxing News 24

Gerrie Coetzee’s Bionic Hand Ends Michael Dokes’s Reign

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