Former SA champion Zolani Marali shot dead

Former SA junior-featherweight champion Zolani Marali has been shot dead at his Johannesburg flat in what boxing insiders believe was a hit.

The 44-year-old Marali, originally from the Eastern Cape, was gunned down overnight, TimesLIVE was told.

Marali was one of the more colourful personalities to grace the SA ring, both as an amateur and a professional. He was jovial and always pleasant, but he also had a knack of landing himself in trouble. 

He won a bronze at the 1999 All-Africa Games to qualify for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but lost his place after testing positive for dagga.

Marali won the national title in his 10th fight in 2002 and also picked up four peripheral world titles under the banner of the International Boxing Organisation, World Boxing Foundation and World Boxing Federation in three weights from junior-featherweight to junior-welterweight. 

He climbed off the canvas to win some fights, and scored some notable wins, particularly against Ali Funeka and Kaizer Mabuza.

Marali retired with a record of 24 wins and six defeats.

On Saturday rumours abounded about the motive for Marali’s murder. Those who knew him well believe this was not a random act of violence.