Remembering ‘Baby Jake’ Matlala

One of the icons of South African boxing Jacob “Baby Jake” Matlala would have celebrated his 60th birthday on 1 August.

He won four versions of a world title and was possibly the shortest world champion in boxing history at 1.48m tall.

Weighing in at 48.99kg for most of his career he said his secret of success was that he lived a clean life and was completely dedicated to his boxing career.

Born on 1 August 1962 in Meadowlands, Johannesburg, he made his pro debut on 2 February 1980 in Port Elizabeth, when the 18-year-old Matlala beat Fraser Plaatjies on points over four rounds.

His trainer, from the beginning, was Theo Mthembu, a top-class lightweight in the 1950s who lost a close decision to South African lightweight champion Gladstone Mahlo over ten rounds in a non-title fight on 17 February 1951 in Durban.

Mthembu was still there at ringside when Matlala had his last fight 22 years later.

Matlala lost his second pro fight on points aginst Kirk Morris. However, he reversed the loss in January 1983 when he won in seven rounds to retain the Transvaal junior flyweight title that he had won from Simon Moema.

In only his tenth fight on 26 February 1983, Matlala won the SA junior flyweight title when he stopped Mveleli Luzipho in 11 rounds in Luzipho’s hometown, Mdantsane, near East London.

After one defence, he won against his first overseas opponent, Jose Badilla, before losing the national title to Luzipho in a return fight.

After an eight-fight winning streak, Matlala failed in a challenge against Luzipho for the title when he was well beaten over 12 rounds.

At that stage of his career Matlala appeared to be going nowhere, twice losing to his nemesis, Vuyani Nene, and dropping a decision to Jaji Sibali, before winning his next eight fights.

He then challenged Irishman Dave McAuley for the IBF flyweight belt in Belfast. They met in September 1991 and the South African was knocked out in the tenth round, apparently after he had misjudged the count.

Putting that setback behind him, Matlala won against Raul Acosta, and made a successful defence of the SA junior flyweight title he had won when he beat Wele Maqolo for the vacant title, winning against Msukisi Skali.

After a lacklustre winning performance, in which he suffered a badly cut eye, to win an eight-round points decision against Toto Hleli, he was offered a crack at Scotland’s Pat Clinton for the WBO flyweight belt.

In May 1993, against the odds, he stopped a weight-drained Clinton to take the belt.

After three defences, he lost the belt to Alberto Jiminez in a fight at Hammanskraal, near Pretoria, when he appeared to quit in the eighth round and complained of stomach cramps.

However, he was soon back on track, drawing with Sammy Stewart and beating Francisco Mendoza before dropping to junior flyweight and winning his second major world title. He defeated Paul Weir on a technical decision in five rounds to take the WBO belt.

After successful defences against Weir and Mickey Cantwell, Matlala challenged Michael Carbajal for the IBA junior flyweight belt. Badly cut over both eyes, the great Mexican fighter was stopped in the ninth round.

Matlala later relinquished the IBA belt to box South African Masibulela “Hawk” Makepula for the vacant WBO junior flyweight belt. Makepula won on a controversial decision.

After losing to Peter Culshaw in a challenge for the WBU flyweight title, Matlala won his fourth world belt at Carnival City in February 2001 when he stopped Australian Todd Makelin for the vacant WBU junior flyweight title.

After a successful defence against Mickey Cantwell, Matlala, then 40 years old, finished his 22-year career on a winning note in March 2002 when he stopped Juan Herrera in seven rounds to retain the WBU junior flyweight belt at Carnival City in Brakpan.

The little big man had captured the imagination of the SA population with his sportsmanship and ready smile.

Matlala finished with a record of 53-13-3 (26 stoppages).

His collection of titles included the Transvaal junior flyweight, Transvaal flyweight, SA junior flyweight title twice, and the WBO flyweight, WBO junior flyweight, IBA junior flyweight and WBU junior flyweight belts.

Rather sadly he passed away on 7 December 2013 at the age of 51.

I have some good memories of Baby Jake and still have little note wishing me a happy birthday on the SuperSport Punchline programme in 2003.