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Jacob Matlala
South African boxer (1962-2013) · South Africa · Athletes · Died at 51
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Something wrong?Jacob "Baby Jake" Matlala was a South African professional boxer and four-time world champion who competed from 1980 to 2002. Standing about 4 ft 10 in, he is the shortest boxer in history to win a world title.
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About this person
Jacob "Baby Jake" Matlala was a South African professional boxer and four-time world champion who competed from 1980 to 2002. Standing about 4 ft 10 in, he is the shortest boxer in history to win a world title. He was a world champion in two weight classes: having held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) flyweight title from 1993 to 1995 and the WBO light-flyweight from 1995 to 1997. He scored high-profile wins against international opponents during the 1990s. He was a hugely popular national figure in South Africa - admired for his fighting spirit and charitable work - and was publicly counted among Nelson Mandela’s favourite sportspeople. In 2004, Matlala was voted #72 in the "100 Greatest South Africans" poll organized by SABC.
In common with Jacob
Omar Andrés NarváezBoth received WBO World Flyweight Champion
Michael CarbajalBoth received WBO World Junior Flyweight Champion
Donnie NietesBoth received WBO World Junior Flyweight ChampionFernando MontielBoth received WBO World Flyweight ChampionKosei TanakaBoth received WBO World Flyweight ChampionJorge ArceBoth received WBO World Junior Flyweight ChampionFame.am measures public visibility signals. It does not measure human value, talent, morality, or credibility.