Kallie Knoetze

Kallie Knoetze (born as Nikolaas Jacobus Knoetze on 24 April 1953) is a retired South African heavyweight boxer and actor.

Boxing career As an amateur Knoetze fought future professional world champion and fellow South African Gerrie Coetzee six times, each winning three bouts.

Knoetze turned professional in 1976, and started his career with six consecutive KO wins. In his seventh fight he was disqualified against Reinaldo Raul Gorosito, and in his eighth bout he lost a ten rounds points decision to Coetzee.

From late 1976 to 1979 he went on an 11-fight winning streak, which included avenging his loss to Gorosito via a ten-rounds decision (this was the only bout in the streak that went the distance) and knocking out US Olympian Duane Bobick and former Muhammad Ali opponent Richard Dunn.

In January 1979 Knoetze defeated future cruiserweight contender Bill Sharkey by KO in the 4th round, making him rated number-three heavyweight in the world. Knoetze fought an elimination bout for the vacant WBA heavyweight belt, but he lost to another US Olympian, John Tate, via a twelfth-round knockout. In the other elimination bout, Coetzee defeated Leon Spinks and then went on to lose to Tate for the WBA title.

Knoetze never fought for a major title again. He fought seven more bouts, winning four and losing three, before retiring in 1981 after a second-round knockout loss to Robbie Williams.

Acting career Between 1979 and 1991 Knoetze acted in four movies, his best known role being primary antagonist Rosco Dunn, a former corrupt professional boxer-turned-military sergeant, in the 1982 film Bomber.

Professional boxing record

Result Record Opponent Type Rounds Date Location