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 a reputation for fading late. Ten rounds later, Dokes was on the canvas, and Coetzee was the WBA heavyweight champion.
Don King billed the fight at Richfield Coliseum as “The Buckeye Homecoming,” though the crowd was about 7,000 in an arena that held 22,000. Dokes (26-0-2, 15 KOs), from nearby Akron, was a 5-1 favorite over Coetzee (28-3-1, 17 KOs). His title reign had begun with a disputed first-round stoppage of Mike Weaver, followed by a draw in their rematch.
Coetzee knew how a strong start could go wrong. John Tate had outlasted him over 15 rounds, and Weaver had stopped him in the 13th. Dokes showed his speed early and cut the challenger near the right eye in round two. Coetzee took the punches and kept coming.
His rebuilt right hand had earned him the nickname “The Bionic Hand,” and it remained one of his best weapons. Dokes had another punch to consider that night, though: Coetzee used his left hook more often than he had in earlier title bids. The hook made his attack less predictable while he pressed the quicker champion.
In the fifth, a short left-right combination put Dokes down on one knee. He rose quickly and fought back, but the knockdown changed the terms of the fight. Coetzee did not slow down as he had against Tate and Weaver. He stayed close enough to make Dokes work and reached the tenth ahead on all three official cards. Dokes still had good moments, particularly in the eighth; this was no uncontested march to the finish.
Coetzee landed two heavy rights past the midpoint of the tenth and followed Dokes into a corner. Dokes tied him up, but after referee Tony Perez separated them, Coetzee attacked again. A left-right combination sent Dokes down. The bell rang during the count, and Perez counted him out at the official time of 3:08.
The right hand helped Coetzee win the title on his third attempt. It also broke again, requiring surgery and keeping him out of the ring for more than a year. He lost the belt to Greg Page in his first defense. Dokes later admitted that cocaine and Jack Daniel’s had been part of his preparation, but that admission does not account for Coetzee’s work over ten rounds. On a night built to celebrate Dokes, the fighter everyone thought would fade was still throwing with force at the end.
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