A 'big man with soft heart'
2008-07-17 09:28
Vanderbijlpark - Former boxer Kallie Knoetze paid tribute to his friend and one-time opponent in the ring, Mike Schutte, at a memorial service on Wednesday, saying he was "shit scared" before fighting Schutte.
Knoetze, who struggled to control his emotions during the service in the Driehoek NG Church, also told how he visited Schutte in 2006 when he was treated for a heart condition in the Pretoria Academic Hospital.
"It was the first time in my life that I prayed for someone and it was a big prayer," said a visibly moved Knoetze.
During the service, mourners laughed out loud several times as Knoetze and people like Boet Pretorius, Terry Pettifer, Heinrich Marnitz, Stanley Sono of Boxing SA told funny stories about the boxer.
According to Marnitz, Schutte was "undaunted by his own safety in the ring. Gerrie Coetzee once broke both his hands against Mike's head," he said.
Filmmaker Leon Schuster, who had written a song Gerrie seerhandjies Coetzee (Gerrie sore hands Coetzee) about this incident, also came to say goodbye to his friend.
'A huge loss'
A message from singer Danie Niehaus, who couldn't attend the service, was read out loud. "Mike's passing away is a huge loss to me and to thousands," he said.
Schutte's daughter, Dalene Doubell, 33, of Randburg told after the church service how she had visited him in hospital on Sunday.
"Sunday was a very special day and we prayed together before I left," she said with tears in her eyes.
According to Dalene, her father apologised for his absence as a parent. "Daddy is very sorry about what happened and I love you very much, my dear," he had told her.
"My father looked at me with his 'boxer eyes' and said he wouldn't die now," she said.
He also spoke to his son, Pieter, 35, from Kuruman, during his daughter's last visit.
Schutte's youngest son from his third marriage, Mike jnr, 22, also attended the service.
Reverend Reon Louw led the memorial service for the "big man with a soft heart".
"I like sport and music. I also like to laugh and that is why I and millions of others knew Mike Schutte," said Louw.
Schutte will be cremated.