Boxing
Henry “Buddie” Lebanon (Lebenon) ;
Represented South Africa in the 1928 Olympic games he missed a bronze
taking 4th place. He founded the Cedar-Radex
“Papa” Mike Toweel:
Was a promising amateur, who was given the chance to go
to the trials to represent South Africa in the Paris Olympics. But his
mother would not hear of it. He fought as a professional. He became a
trainer, training many young South African boxers who won or fought for
medals in the Olympics ,including his two sons Vic and Willie,
who won a
bronze. He trained his son Vic to win a world title. He is the Father of the
greatest Boxing family that ever lived.
Jimmy Toweel: Known as the “ace body puncher” became the first of the Toweels to win a National boxing title. South African light weight championship. He also fought in England.
Vic Toweel:
The greatest fighter ever produced in South Africa. Trained by his dad Mike
he represented
South Africa in the 1948 Olympics. He won both the South
African bantam weight championships as well as the South African
featherweight championships. He was the Empire bantamweight champion. After
13 professional fights he won the
World Bantamweight Championships in 1950.The first South African to do
so. He is the only South African to win an undisputed
world
Title. He is still listed in the Guiness Book of world records
for most knock downs in a fight when he fought Danny Sullivan.
Allan Toweel: Was a top amateur fighter. Winning his first 10 professional fights he had to quit fighting because of asthma . He became the greatest trainer ever produced in South Africa. He took brother Willie to a draw for a world title, trained Pierre Fourie for his many world title fights. He trained many South African national champions ,and many South Africans who fought for world titles.
Allan Toweel (jnr) : Son of Allan Toweel. Has a boxing gym in Johannesburg, where he trains many top Professional Boxers.
Maurice Toweel:
Was South Africa’s top matchmaker. A fighter in every sense of the word.
Polio left him in a wheelchair. As a teenager he boxed in his chair As
president of Springbok Promotions he was a clever promoter and matchmaker.
He fought the government to allow multi -racial tournaments between black
and white boxers. He promoted the very first multi- racial world title in
South Africa when Bobby Foster fought Pierre Fourie in Johannesburg.He
traveled with his brother Wllie when he fought
overseas..
Willie Toweel:
The most charismatic boxer ever produced in South Africa.
Won a bronze medal in the 1952
Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Trained by brother Allan,
Willie won the Empire bantamweight
title as well as won four South African national titles: 1954 South African
bantamweight title, 1954 South African featherweight title, 1956 South
African lightweight title and 1960 Welterweight title. 1955 he fought for
the World bantamweight title
which his brother Vic won in 1950. In one of the biggest disputed decisions
Willie drew for the World title
. He was the first South African to
fight at Madison Square gardens in New York.He beat Lenny Mathews and
became a household name in America. His last fight in Madison Square Gardens
was against the World multi tile champion Emile Griffith. Willie trained
many South Africans for world titles.
Fraser Toweel:
Youngest son of “Papa ”Mike Toweels six sons. Fraser was one of the most
scientific boxers. His record of 25 wins and 7 losses. He lost six fights to
Willie Ludick for the South African
welterweight title. Many feel he should have won the first fight
against Ludick for the South African welterweight belt,
which would have
given the Toweels their 8th national title.
Patrick Toweel:
Trained by his cousin Allan Toweel. Patrick won the South African
welterweight title in 1968. Giving the Toweels their 8th national
title.
Paul Toweel:
Son of Fraser was a world rated fighter. He fought both professionally in
South Africa and in Australia . he won the South
Pacific middleweight title.
Johnny Toweel :Brother
of Patrick was a professional fighter.
Tony Toweel:
Professional boxer
Michael Toweel:
professional fighter in Australia
Victor Toweel:
Son of
Frazer
Toweel professional fighter in Australia won the
New South Wales Super middleweight
boxing Champion.
Tony Habib:
Cousin to the famous “Fighting Toweels” .Won the South African Lightweight
title in 1952
Johnny Sham:
was an outstanding amateur. He turned professional and was trained by Allan
Toweel. He won the South African Jnr Middleweight title.
Peter Karam:
professional boxer 1933
Paul Karam:
Was a welterweight professional boxer 1950-1957 .
He had a lot of potential.
Peter Louis Smith. Known as "The Sniper", son of former boxer Kosie Smith, mother nee Saffy (sister to Mike and Allan Saffy). He had 22 fights, won 20 (KO9) and lost 2(KO2).He won the Transvaal Heavyweight Title. He is now a boxing commentator, runs a gym and is involved in EFC(Extreme Fighting Championship). Now resides in USA.
Boxing Trainers
Included as already mentioned. Joe Rosella, “Papa” Mike Toweel , Allan
Toweel , Allan Toweel (jnr) Willie Toweel.
Steve Jacobs:
Trained the first Zulu boxing team that went to the USA. He trained boxers
at the famous Bobby Gleeson’s gym in Manhattan
New York.
George Karam:
Trainer Phoenix boys club
Boxing gym Pretoria Trained South African champion Jimmy Richards
Tony Karam :
Trainer . Phoenix boys club boxing gym Pretoria
.Trained Jimmy Richards.
Tony Farah:
related to the Toweels
was a boxing trainer.
Tony Anthony:
Trainer at the Mayfair YMCA, taught many young boxers the art of fighting
several joining the professional ranks.
Paul Cheketri:
Trainer Mayfair YMCA ,trained many young fighters.
Special mention:
The first world title fight ever to be held in South Africa at the Wanderers
Stadium 1937 was between Petey
Sarron a Lebanese American and
Frddie Miller an American.
Sarron won the world title.
Petey Sarron
(married to Pat Farah)
and Vic Toweel
(married to Julia Farah)
are the only two Boxers of Lebanese heritage to win world titles and both
were won in South Africa.
Soccer
Pierre Issa:
Is the greatest Lebanese South African soccer player. He represented South
Africa “Bafana
Bafana” 47 times. He captained the South African team. He
played for Marseille in France
which won
the 1999 UEF cup final, he played
professional soccer in England , Greece and for Olympic
Beirut in Lebabon.
Des Backos:
One of South Africa’s top players.
Des played professional soccer for Highlands Park Rangers and Hellenic
. In 1975 he was drafted
to play in the USA for the Los Angeles Aztecs soccer team, his team mate was
non other than the super soccer star George Best. Des went
on
to England and
played for Stoke.
Ricky Flynn: Played
professional soccer for Highlands park. He and team mate
Des Backos were
known as the Lebanese twins.
Ray Tibshraeny :
Play professional soccer for Bloemfontein United.
Fred Zackey:
Played Professional soccer for Jewish Guild. He also represented South
Africa in Hockey as a Springbok
.
Willie Joseph :Professional
soccer player for Rangers
Gaby Joseph:
Professional soccer player.
Mark-Anthony Farah : Son of Author Anthony S. Farah plays college football
(American football) for Tyler Junior College in Tyler Texas
Rugby:
Alf Adami :
Was chosen to play for the South African "Springboks" ( The only Lebanese
South African ever to do so). A back injury kept him out of the South
African Squad.
Jeff Basel:
Played Natal under 19 Rugby
Kevin Basel:
Played for Natal Rugby he is Jeff Basel's brother. He later became an actor
of stage and screen.
Roy Hanna:
Transvaal under 19. Founder of The Video Town chain of video stores.
Jarrod Saffy:
Born in South Africa . Plays professional rugby in Australia. Represented
Australia in the Australian
schools team and Australian under 21 Team.
The Iron Game: Weightlifting , Powerlifting and Bodybuilding
Mike Saffy:
Springbok weightlifter , represented South Africa.
Darryn Anthony:
Is South Africa’s greatest weightlifter. He represented South Africa
in the 2008 Olympics. He is part of the Anthony family of Sprinbok
weightlifters and powerlifters.
Jarrod Anthony:
Springbok weightlifter, brother of Darryn
Andrew Anthony :
Springbok weightlifter father of Darryn and Jarrod
Rodney Anthony:
(Uncle of Darren)
Springbok powerlifter was a world class powerlifter.
Pete Samra:
Sothern Transvaal Mid heavy powerlifter.
Represented Southern Transvaal in Bodybuilding . Won the 1980 Natural
Mr. USA and the Natural Mid-American bodybuilding titles. Inducted into
Three
Natural
Bodybuilding
"Hall of
Fame". Developed The R.E.S.T system of training
and
has trained many natural bodybuilding champions.
Jefferey Zackey: Bodybuilder represented South Africa
in the NABBA world Junior Bodybuilding championships taking 4th place.
Hockey
George Elias (Alex) Kayat - Goal Keeper - South African Universities and Natal for many years. Was the favourite for the Springbok Team, but snapped his elbow at the trials.
Fred Zackey : (See football section)
Athletics and other Sports
Damon Rahme:
South African decathlon champion . Springbok weightlifter.
Cheyne Rahme:
Son of Damon won the South African jnr pole vault competition breaking the
long standing South African record.
Jack Deeb:
Springbok Clay pigeon shooting Champion.He was also a top artist.
Dr. Alec Solomon .
Springbok clay pigeon shooting.
Allan Kourie: South African first class cricketer. Played South African schools and also played 16 times for South Africa. He was a Springbok in Cricketer and a Baseball Springbok like his brother,Keith.
Keith Kourie -
Brother
of Allan. Represented South Africa in
the world baseball championships.
Graham Smith:
Captain of the South African cricket team. Great grandmother is Lebanese
Fulton Allam:
Top professional golfer , winning titles both in South Africa and the US .He
has won three PGA titles in America.
In 1993 he won the NEC world series of golf
in the USA.
Patrick Nasser:
South African Judo champion who won his Springbok colours .
Gerry Baker;
South African bowls champion .
He has represented South Africa many times Internationally.
Tony Samra;
Bowls champion who was on the South African Lebanese bowls team to win the
International championships.
Ken Hanna;
Southern Transvaal colours for
badminton . Is a South African master swimming champion.
Allan Saffy:
Was a top South African motor racing
Champion. He raced in the US and was offered many opportunities to continue
to race,
in the US
.
Allan Saffy (jnr):
Son of Allan Saffy,
South
African sprint car champion
Cedric Saffy
: brother of Allan ( and weightlifter Mike Saffy).
Is a South Africa sprint car champion and races against his nephew
Allan jnr.
Joe Sarkis:
South African motorcycle champion during the 30’s.
He
represented South
Africa in International racers like the
"Isle of Wright"
motorcycle
championships. He was
a pioneer of the sport in South Africa and put the Rudge motorcycle company
on the map.
Horse racing
Jockeys
Robbie Sham: Top South African jockey. Won the Durban July 1992 Bartie Liesher: Top South African jockey. Won the Durban July 1986 Craig Magua: Top Jockey ,"The Craig Magua Handicap" is named after him. Fareed Anthony: Top Jockey won the 2006 Durban July 2006 Duncan Habib : Top Jockey Donavan Habib: Top Jockey cousin to Bart Leicher. Donovan Mansour : Top Jockey , started late as a jockey,but spent a year in New Zealand were he learned his trade. He is the Grandson of Maroun Mansour and his father and Uncle Toby Mansour are both racehorse owners.
Race Horse Owners
Alic Solomon: One of the first South African Lebanese horse owners.Was married to Alice (nee Samra). Mark Tarry: Horse trainer brother of Sean. Eugene Sanan - Race Horse owner Ron Akal - Race Horse owner Anthony Maroun: Race Horse owner (Brother of Buddy) Jason Sham: CEO Horse power South Africa , sellers of Thoroughbred horses, is brother in law to the late Craig Magua. Romeo Aboud: Chairman Chairman of the Bloemfontein race club. Mark Aboud: Race horse owner. Kevin and Nadine Backos : Race Horse owners. The Zackey family : Race horse owners. Roy Hanna: Racehorse Owner Leslie Michael: Michael Family . race Horse owner Sean Hanna: Racehorse Owner
Trainers plus others
George Azzie: probably the most famous race horse trainer ever in South Africa He trained many champions. Herb Azzie: Son of George Azzie is also a top horse trainer. Mike Azzie: Horse trainer son of Herb and grandson of George Adam Azzie: Horse trainer . Great grandson of George Azzie , is the 4t generation of Azzie’s in the race horse training. D Zaki:Race horse trainer. Robert Maroun: Horse trainer. Robert "Buddy" Maroun : Top horse trainer , son of Robert was know as The "King Of The Sprinters" Bradley Maroun : Horse Trainer (Brother Of "Buddy") Tyrone Zackey : top trainer George Mazaham: Race horse trainer Sean Tarry: Top Racehorese Trainer has received global recognition for his training Mark Anthony: Top Racing Columnist Clyde Basel: CEO South African Racing Association Gary Alexander : Horse trainer son of top Jockey Duncan, mother Lebanese (nee Sadie).
Warren Zackey : Wiiner World series of Pocker Africa
Jarod Solomon: Top earner World Series of Poker Europe
Marc Joseph:World series of Poker top rated South African
player
Martin Maroun: World series of Poker top rated South
African player
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