Gerrie Coetzee

Gerhardus Christian Coetzee OIB was a South African professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1986, and in 1993 and 1997. He was the first African in history to ever fight for, and win, a world heavyweight championship, having held the WBA title from 1983 to 1984. He held notable knockout wins against WBA world heavyweight champion Michael Dokes and undisputed world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, as well as a draw with future WBC world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas and wins over top contenders Ron Stander, Scott LeDoux and James Tillis. ^{Gerrie Coetzee, South African boxer (d. 2023)}

8 April 1955

Born on the same birth date (8 April 1955): Barbara Kingsolver • David Wu • Ron Johnson

Born on the same birth day (8 April): Jan Novák (composer) • John Schneider (screen actor) • Mark Spencer (computer engineer) • Michael Jones (rugby union) • Odd Nerdrum • Patricia Arquette • Paul Gray (American musician) • R. P. Keigwin • Tony Barton (footballer) • Viktória Forster

Born in the same month (April 1955): Akira Toriyama • Bernard Longley • David Kitchin, Lord Kitchin • Fabian Hamilton • Joice Mujuru • Kurt Bodewig • Marit Breivik • Michael Stone (loyalist) • Nicolas Hulot • Pradeep Sarkar • Ron Johnson • Saeb Erekat • Tony Miles • Zev Siegl • Zlatko Topčić