BOXING NEWS - Benny Nieuwenhuizen, one of the most outstanding boxers South Africa ever produced. never came close to winning a world title. But he could have, if only he had a little dedication.
Chris Greyvenstein wrote in his book, The Fighters, “Nieuwenhuizen was probably the most talented boxer of his era. He was gifted with superb reflexes and a world championship seemed to be his birth right. He could and often did, use only his left to befuddle and finally knock out an opponent and he had an instinctive mastery of every conceivable facet of boxing.”
Bobby Diamond once said, “If this guy can be disciplined for six months he will be a world champion.”
Diamond knew a thing or two about boxing. He spent a lifetime in boxing and was in Johannesburg with world bantamweight champion Robert Cohen for the defence of his title against Willie Toweel in September 1955 when he saw Nieuwenhuizen in action.
Born Barend Johannes van Nieuwenhuizen on 15 June 1933 in Johannesburg, Bennie fought under the surname Nieuwenhuizen, dropping the “van”.
He won his first boxing trophy at the age of six. Five years later he won his first Transvaal junior title. He put lead in his shorts to make the qualifying weight for the division because he was so small.
Boxing for the Malvern Amateur Club, Bennie won two more Transvaal junior titles and an SA championship.
After becoming an apprentice jockey, he continued boxing and won three out of five fights against Grant Webster. He also had the better of Johnny “Smiler” van Rensburg in two fights. Webster and Van Rensburg were two of the finest amateurs ever produced in South Africa.
Under the guidance of his uncle, Tony Lombard, a former fighter, Nieuwenhuizen made his professional debut in Salisbury, Rhodesia, on 19 July 1952 when he beat Gerry Olivier on points over four rounds.
He won his next three fights in style before losing on points to Smiler van Rensburg, who later won two SA and two British Empire titles.
