Daniel “Star Black” Sereme passed on, veteran boxing promoter Obed Molekwa has announced.
“He passed away on Friday,” said Molekwa, adding that the 70-year-old former professional boxer had been unwell. “Sereme was hospitalised at Helen Joseph where he spent two months.”
As a fighter Sereme was trained by Job Sebalo – a teacher by profession – who honed the skills of many fighters including Jerry “Sticker” Mbitse (SA junior featherweight champ) and Bushy Mosoeu – at Black Burn Gym, which is housed at Bapedi Hall, Meadowlands Zone 3, Soweto.
Sereme boxed from 1974 until 1985 chalking up 10 wins, five losses and a draw. He established himself as a promising trainer, honing the skills of a number of youngsters including Bongani Mwelase, Boitshepo Mandawe at the same gym where he trained as a fighter.
Mwelase went on to win a gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Melbourne, Australia, before joining Jonnny du Plooy who was in charge of his career in the professional ranks. He is survived by three children.
Sereme’s childhood friend and former stable mate Erick Pheteo said: “I worked with him in training young fighters, he went ill with his spine troubling him, we started at Mofolo Clinic and referred us to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.
“He was not satisfied by the treatment there and we took him to Helen Joseph where he underwent a successful operation. But still he could not walk until he passed on. His death has drained me emotionally, I had hopes he would recover.”
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