Jacob Matlala-Baby Jake

[BoztheMadman]

Jacob Matlala was the smallest world champion ever, standing only 1,48 m or 4'10 tall, and was called "Baby Jake" because of that. He started boxing just for fun, 10 years old, and became one of South Africa's greatest and most beloved fighters. He was Nelson Mandela's favorite boxer, even before he became a world champion. He had great head movement and tight defense, which made him hard to hit. He had power also, though perhaps more of the accumulation sort. His great stamina also enabled him to throw many punches.

 

He was born 8 January 1962 in Soweto, Johannesburg. He was the only child of a driver father and a cook mother. He was a good student and liked by everybody, therefore he never had a single street fight. First he started fighting as amateur and won 198 out of 199 fights. He started fighting as a pro in 1980, aged 18. He won his first fight on points but lost the two next ones, also on points. In July 1982 he won the South African Non-White light flyweight title by TKO 5 against Simon Moema. In February next year he won the full South African title by TKO 11 against Mveleli Luzipho. He defended it by KO 3 agaisnt Martin Nkokoto before losing it to Luzipho on points. He also lost their rubbermatch but recaptured the Transvaal (Non-White) title. He was unsuccessful in several attempts to reclaim the national title until 1990, when he beat Wele Maqolo by SD for it. On 7 September 1991 he got his first world title shot against the IBF flyweight champion Dave McAuley from Northern Ireland. He was significantly outsized by the 5'7 McAuley but still made a good performance and one judge had the fight even after 9 rounds. However, in the 10th he was knocked out by McAuley. He then beat the future Vic Darchinyan-challenger Mzukisi Sikali by UD12 in a defense of the national title and then landed a new world title shot for the WBO flyweight title against Pat Clinton. Clinton was from Scotland and the fight took place in Glasgow on 15 May 1993, yet this time Baby Jake prevailed when he stopped the champion by TKO 8 after a close fight. In his first defense he defeated Luigi Camputaro by a corner retirement in 7 rounds. The fight was his first world title fight in home country, in Sun City. He defended the title twice more, by RTD 9 against Francis Ampofo and UD12 against Pretty Boy Lucas, before losing it 11 February 1995 to Alberto Jimenez, who stopped him by TKO 8. Weeks before the fight, Matlala underwent intestinal surgery but still went on with the fight, however he experienced abdominal pains and had to quit.

 

However, only 9 months later, Matlala won the WBO light flyweight title; again Glasgow was a lucky place for him as he beat much less experienced Paul Weir by a technical decision in 5. It was 18 November and Matlala would again face Weir in the rematch on 13 April and beat him by TKO 10. However, after making one more defense by SD against Mickey Cantwell, Matlala vacated his title in order to fight IBA light flyweight champion Michael "Little Hands of Stone" Carbajal. Matlala would experience his greatest triumph on 18 July 1997 in Las Vegas, when he made the legend and former unified world champion Carbajal quit in round 9 due to cuts over both eyes. Baby Jake was en route to breaking the record for most punches thrown when the fight was stopped. He defended the IBA title three times before again trying to conquer his old WBO title against Masibulele Makepula on 19 February 2000, but failed when he lost by UD12. He also lost his next fight to Peter Culshaw by MD, which was for the WBU flyweight title, but then won the light flyweight version of that title in February 2001 by TKO 4 against Todd Makelim and defended it against Mickey Cantwell by TKO 5 and finally against Juan Herrera by KO 7, which was his final fight, 2 March 2002. He had fought for 22 years and left behind a record of 53 wins, 26 by ko, 13 losses and 2 draws. He was 40 when he fought his last fight.

 

Matlala died 7 December 2013, aged 51. Only 2 days before that, Nelson Mandela died. The two were friends and Baby Jake was Mandela's favorite boxer, as mentioned. Matlala had struggled with health for the last 5 years and was regularly in hospital for pneumonia. He will be remembered as one of South Africa's best and most popular boxers.