Toweel is one of the most well-known names in South African boxing history. Everyone who is anyone who hears the Toweel name is taken back to a time of legends and South African heroes.
Michael Toweel, the patriarch of the family, arrived in South Africa as a young boy from Lebanon. He was a successful amateur boxer and taught the sport to his sons, Victor, Fraser, Jimmy, Willie, and Alan.
All the training happened from a small tin shed with a makeshift boxing ring that Michael had built in his backyard in Benoni. It was from here that many titles were won, with both Willie and Vic going on to represent South Africa at the Olympic Games, leading to the win of a world title, a World Championship fight draw, two British Empire titles, and seven South African titles.
Michael fought several professional fights in his time, but due to his mother’s fear of the bright lights of going to Paris for the 1924 Olympic Games, he instead became one of South Africa’s best boxing trainers and took his sons on to win a variety of championships. In 1948 he trained four of the eight South African boxers at the London Olympic Games, where George Hunter went on to win the cup for best boxer as well as a gold medal. Johnny Arthur came home winning the Olympic bronze medal.
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The Toweel Sons
Michael’s son, Vic, succeeded in being the first South African to achieve winning a world title. He also won the South African Featherweight, Bantamweight, the British Empire Bantamweight title as well as the World Bantamweight title in a historic fight in May 1950.
Alan Toweel also had a legendary boxing career and later retired to train his brothers Willie and Frazer. Jimmy also won the South African Lightweight title.
Willie too had an outstanding boxing career, seeing 54 fights and winning several prestigious boxing titles. Willie and Vic also earned their Springbok Colours.
Frazer’s boxing style was often compared to that of Vic and he too had a successful boxing career.
Maurice, Michael’s son who had become paralysed from polio, went on to become a successful boxing manager and promotor of World Championship Fights.
The story of this incredible family is inspirational, each member having their own historic impact on the sport of boxing. For all your Toweel boxing memorabilia, contact African Ring today or browse through their online catalogue.