Enoch “Schoolboy” Nhlapo, one of the greatest fighters in South African boxing who fought from 1953 to 1973 and in an in creditable 119-fight career, won the South African lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight titles and is the only South African fighter in history to have scored 100 victories.
He also won the Transvaal featherweight and lightweight titles which were highly regarded at the time and finished with an outstanding record of 100-15-3-1nc (32).
A scientific fighter with only a 27% knockout ratio he relied on his boxing skills.
Other South African champions who have had long careers are Joe “Axe Killer” Ngidi, who had 98 fights (won 75), and Anthony Morodi, who finished with 125 fights (won 95).
Another legend of the South African ring, Nkosana “Happyboy” Mgxaji, finished with a record of 101 fights (88-9-4; 26).
It is quite ironic that he fought and lost to both Ngidi and Morodi and in the 15 losses only nine were against different fighters.
His first loss came on points over eight rounds against German Mhlambi in his 13th fight and other losses were against Elijah Mokone on two occasions, another legend of the South African ring, Joe “Axe” Killer Ngidi, Paul Armstead (twice), Joe Brown, Richard Borias (four), Phillip Sibeko, Anthony Morodi (twice) and Pat Hlabangane.
Born on 7 March 1933 in Soweto, Johannesburg, he boxed under the guidance of Richard Legoale before making his professional debut on 6 February 1953.
His won his first pro bout by stopping Ezekiel Mogotsi in the third round of the fight at the Bantu Men’s Social Centre in Eloff Street, Johannesburg.
In only his fifth fight, he won the Transvaal featherweight title, stopping Game Chicken Richards in the sixth round.
On 15 March 1957, he lost in Durban to another outstanding SA fighter, Elijah Mokone, in a challenge for the national featherweight title. In a return title bout less than three months later he again lost on points over 12 rounds.
Nhlapo then moved into the lightweight division and won the SA lightweight title when he outpointed Joas Kangaroo Maoto on 8 June 1957. He defended the title nine times before losing it to Richard Borias on 4 February 1967.
Five months later he regained the title by beating Borias, but he lost it when he came in overweight against Eric Mahlo. The fight went on and Nhlapo won on a ninth-round technical knockout.
He again regained the belt on 3 February 1968 when he outpointed Borias in a clash for the vacant title.
Nhlapo then knocked out Gabriel Dlamini in the 11th round on 6 December 1969 to win the vacant SA junior welterweight title, but in his next fight lost the lightweight title to Anthony “Blue Jaguar” Morodi.
He was still the junior welterweight champion when he won the SA welterweight title on 6 May 1972 by beating Mackeed Mofokeng on points.
In his last fight, on 17 February 1973, three weeks short of his 40th birthday – he was born, as far as can be ascertained, in Soweto on 7 March 1933, he retained the title in a return match with Mofokeng.
Nhlapo, one of the most popular SA boxers of his generation, retired as SA junior welterweight and welterweight champion. In a career spanning 20 years, he fought in 24 national title fights.
He also fought world-class fighters such as Percy Lewis, Roy Jacobs, Paul Armstead, Rafiu King and former world lightweight champion Joe Brown.
Nhlapo was a truly excellent boxer but the government’s apartheid policies prevented him from fighting the best from overseas. He would easily have won at least one version of the “world” titles had he been active now.
He passed away on 7 July 2013 at the Lesedi Clinic in Diepkloof, Soweto at the age of 80.
Many years ago I had the privilege of interviewing this legendary but humble fighter on the Punchline programme on SuperSport.