Kallie Knoetze, legendary South African heavyweight boxer of a few decades back.
He was a sportswriter's dream because of his big mouth, spouting vociferous comment on how he was going to "maul" his opponent before the big fight.
Kallie was sitting next to the hospital bed of his close friend, big Mike Schutte, a heavyweight legend in his own right, in and out of the ring, but now in Pretoria Academic Hospital for a heart condition.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Mike Schutte 30
Mike Schutte dies...
Mike Schutte's final round
15/07/2008 10:33 - (SA)
Sonja van Buul, Beeld
Johannesburg - Shortly after his friend put him to bed and covered his feet, the legendary Mike (The Tank) Schutte, 57, breathed his last.
Jurg Basson was the last person who spoke with the boxing hero and funny man.
"With the words: 'Ek laaik jou style' (I like your style) and 'Sien jou m?re' (See you tomorrow) Mike said goodbye to me," said Basson just hours after Schutte's death.
Schutte died on Monday morning in the Emfuleni Medi-Clinic due to liver failure, thrombosis and an enlarged heart.
"Schutte was admitted to hospital on Saturday afternoon and he died at about 04:00 yesterday morning," confirmed Joe Sandows, the hospital manager.
Battled with his health
Schutte's brother, Pieter, 55, a businessman from Vanderbijlpark, told with tears in his eyes how Mike had battled with his health over the last five years.
"On Saturday, a friend, Susan Holloway, contacted me and said Michael (Mike) did not look well."
Pieter drove to the house of his other brother Ernst, 62, where the former boxing champ stayed in a flat.
"Michael sat like a boxer with a towel over his head and was too weak to stand up," said Pieter.
Pieter said Mike asked him to only take him to hospital the following day as he had not yet had time to take a bath. "Michael struggled to speak and we decided to rather take him immediately," he said.
Pieter helped Mike to put on his shoes and went outside to try and control his emotions. "Michael looked so terrible and I didn't want him to see that I was crying."
Pieter said people often commented on how alike the brothers looked. "Michael always said he looked like that because of the boxing and then he wanted to know what my excuse was," he laughed.
'Fought hard and partied just as hard'
The former SA heavyweight boxing champ on Saturday night said goodbye to his daughter Dalene Doubell, 33, of Randburg and thanked Pieter for his help.
"Our parents died during our childhood and Mike looked after me. Later in life it was my turn to look after him and to nag him relentlessly to look after his health better," said Pieter.
According to him, his brother "fought hard and partied just as hard".
Schutte will be remembered for his sometimes-fierce fights against opponents like Jimmy Richards and later Kallie Knoetze and Gerrie Coetzee.
Mike's son, Pieter, 35, was on his way to the Vaal Triangle from Kuruman in the Northern Cape.
Mike is survived by another brother John, 63, and a sister Edelweis, 53.
Until recently, Mike worked as a store man and buyer at Pieter's business. "It is sad that people so often saw the wrong side of Michael. He was a considerate and determined man and in his heart, he was a good person," said Pieter.
Mike will be buried on Wednesday at the NG Church Driehoek at 42 Macowen Street at 14:00.
Mike Schutte's final round
15/07/2008 10:33 - (SA)
Sonja van Buul, Beeld
Johannesburg - Shortly after his friend put him to bed and covered his feet, the legendary Mike (The Tank) Schutte, 57, breathed his last.
Jurg Basson was the last person who spoke with the boxing hero and funny man.
"With the words: 'Ek laaik jou style' (I like your style) and 'Sien jou m?re' (See you tomorrow) Mike said goodbye to me," said Basson just hours after Schutte's death.
Schutte died on Monday morning in the Emfuleni Medi-Clinic due to liver failure, thrombosis and an enlarged heart.
"Schutte was admitted to hospital on Saturday afternoon and he died at about 04:00 yesterday morning," confirmed Joe Sandows, the hospital manager.
Battled with his health
Schutte's brother, Pieter, 55, a businessman from Vanderbijlpark, told with tears in his eyes how Mike had battled with his health over the last five years.
"On Saturday, a friend, Susan Holloway, contacted me and said Michael (Mike) did not look well."
Pieter drove to the house of his other brother Ernst, 62, where the former boxing champ stayed in a flat.
"Michael sat like a boxer with a towel over his head and was too weak to stand up," said Pieter.
Pieter said Mike asked him to only take him to hospital the following day as he had not yet had time to take a bath. "Michael struggled to speak and we decided to rather take him immediately," he said.
Pieter helped Mike to put on his shoes and went outside to try and control his emotions. "Michael looked so terrible and I didn't want him to see that I was crying."
Pieter said people often commented on how alike the brothers looked. "Michael always said he looked like that because of the boxing and then he wanted to know what my excuse was," he laughed.
'Fought hard and partied just as hard'
The former SA heavyweight boxing champ on Saturday night said goodbye to his daughter Dalene Doubell, 33, of Randburg and thanked Pieter for his help.
"Our parents died during our childhood and Mike looked after me. Later in life it was my turn to look after him and to nag him relentlessly to look after his health better," said Pieter.
According to him, his brother "fought hard and partied just as hard".
Schutte will be remembered for his sometimes-fierce fights against opponents like Jimmy Richards and later Kallie Knoetze and Gerrie Coetzee.
Mike's son, Pieter, 35, was on his way to the Vaal Triangle from Kuruman in the Northern Cape.
Mike is survived by another brother John, 63, and a sister Edelweis, 53.
Until recently, Mike worked as a store man and buyer at Pieter's business. "It is sad that people so often saw the wrong side of Michael. He was a considerate and determined man and in his heart, he was a good person," said Pieter.
Mike will be buried on Wednesday at the NG Church Driehoek at 42 Macowen Street at 14:00.
Jimmy Abbott 29
DOB 11 May 1959
Tel 082 776 7457
Pastor | Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa
Port Elizabeth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Professional Boxer | Heavy weight | South African Team
South Africa
Sport | Boxing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pastor | Faith in Action (Roepersfontein Ministries International)
Dullstroom Mpumalaga
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quit the professional ring in 1984.
Achievements
Competitive Accomplishments
won | vs Juan Antonio Musladino | 1982
lost | vs Leroy Boone | 1982
won | vs Harvey Steichen | 1981
lost | vs Mike Koranicki | 1980
won | vs George Chaplin | 1980
won | vs Henry Porter | 1980
won | vs Kallie Knoetze | 1980
won | vs Leon Shaw | 1979
won | vs Walter Santemore | 1979
lost | vs Eddie Lopez | 1979
won | vs Hennie Thoonen | 1979
won | vs Dave Johnson | 1979
won | vs Terry Mintus | 1978
won | vs Caiphus Masondo | 1978
won | vs Tommy Kiely | 1978
won | vs Terry O''Connor | 1978
won | vs Fraser Memela | 1978
won | vs Robbie Williams | 1978
won | vs Wiets de Beer | 1978
won | vs Jeffrey Ellis | 1978
won | vs Frans Manyaniso | 1978
Joke (Mike Schutte)
Mike & Jimmy were watching a dog licking it's nackers one day. "Ek wil dit ook probeer" says Mike. "Nee man, hy sal jou byt" says Jim.
Tel 082 776 7457
Pastor | Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa
Port Elizabeth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Professional Boxer | Heavy weight | South African Team
South Africa
Sport | Boxing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pastor | Faith in Action (Roepersfontein Ministries International)
Dullstroom Mpumalaga
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quit the professional ring in 1984.
Achievements
Competitive Accomplishments
won | vs Juan Antonio Musladino | 1982
lost | vs Leroy Boone | 1982
won | vs Harvey Steichen | 1981
lost | vs Mike Koranicki | 1980
won | vs George Chaplin | 1980
won | vs Henry Porter | 1980
won | vs Kallie Knoetze | 1980
won | vs Leon Shaw | 1979
won | vs Walter Santemore | 1979
lost | vs Eddie Lopez | 1979
won | vs Hennie Thoonen | 1979
won | vs Dave Johnson | 1979
won | vs Terry Mintus | 1978
won | vs Caiphus Masondo | 1978
won | vs Tommy Kiely | 1978
won | vs Terry O''Connor | 1978
won | vs Fraser Memela | 1978
won | vs Robbie Williams | 1978
won | vs Wiets de Beer | 1978
won | vs Jeffrey Ellis | 1978
won | vs Frans Manyaniso | 1978
Joke (Mike Schutte)
Mike & Jimmy were watching a dog licking it's nackers one day. "Ek wil dit ook probeer" says Mike. "Nee man, hy sal jou byt" says Jim.
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