Editing Gerrie Coetzee (section)

===Failed unification and defeat===
There was much talk about a unification bout with the recognized best fighter in the division and now International Boxing Federation Champion, [[Larry Holmes]], in 1984, and a contract for a lucrative bout was signed. Holmes possessed only one of the 3 title belts but was recognized by most as the real, bona fide, champion.<ref>{{cite web|title=The heavyweight championship bout between Larry Holmes and John...|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/03/14/The-heavyweight-championship-bout-between-Larry-Holmes-and-John/8917448088400/|website=upi.com|date=1984-03-14|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref>

Financial problems arose when the backer of the bout, JPD Sports out of Dallas, Texas, could not raise the original purse necessary. [[Caesar's Palace]] in Las Vegas spoke of saving the promotion, but it fell through. Don King's involvement as Coetzee's promoter, as well as Larry Holmes' previous split with King also contributed to the bout not coming to fruition. Holmes wanted to save the bout which would have earned both him and Coetzee a significant sum of money. Coetzee was personally willing and eager for the bout. He even indicated he was willing to go through with the bout though he would likely enter the ring without the WBA title. The WBA had stated that for the bout to take place with its blessing, it required Holmes to fight as a contender for Coetzee's belt. Or, the WBA would require Coetzee to drop his belt to qualify as a challenger for Holmes.

Holmes saw no reason for the WBA to preside over a bout between the two men. The WBA insisted Coetzee could not face Holmes, despite the fact Holmes had been recognized as the best heavyweight in the world since 1978. In any event, Coetzee re-injured his hand during training camp, requiring further surgery, and the fight was cancelled.

On his return to the ring, after an extended absence, Coetzee was paired with [[Greg Page (boxer)|Greg Page]] (the real #1 contender [[David Bey]], refused to go to South Africa as described in "Only in America: The Life and Crimes of Don King" by [[Jack Newfield]], Bey became the #1 by outpointing Greg Page over 12 rounds). Page was even more stigmatized by failing to win big fights than was Coetzee. He was seen as supremely talented and like many fighters in the immediate post-Ali era, his size, speed, and coordination supposedly portended great expectations of achievement. While Page could look extremely impressive, as against [[James Tillis]] for example, he also was seen as lazy and unmotivated.<ref>{{cite news|title=Angry Boxers Meeting for Holmes's Old Title: Angry Boxers Meet for Vacant Title|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/09/sports/angry-boxers-meeting-for-holme-s-old-title.html|date=1984-03-09|newspaper=The New York Times|first=Michael|last=Katz|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Another Chapter in the Page Riddle|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/28/sports/another-chapter-in-the-page-riddle.html|date=1985-04-28|newspaper=The New York Times|first=William|last=Rhoden|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tillis Still Quick with Lip, Quick to Defend Himself|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-11-10-8703250487-story.html|date=1987-11-10|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|first=Sam|last=Smith|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sWYN6cETROQC&pg=PA204|last=Newfield|first=Jack|publisher=Harbour Publishing|isbn=0974020109|title=The Life & Crimes of Don King: The Shame of Boxing in America|page=204|year=2003}}</ref>

In this bout Page did less posing than normal, and did more fighting putting on an energetic performance.  Coetzee seemed overconfident, and can be seen delivering a lot of the trash-talking and doing less punching and trying more verbal intimidation such as he used in bouts against Tate and Weaver. But Page was in much better form than when he had lost to Bey. Coetzee for his part was dangerous and while sloppy, was sending his own shots home. The challenger's strong chin nullified Coetzee's power to some extent. The two exchanged momentum. Coetzee's lack of defense was more evident than usual, and he was a sitting duck for Page's counter-punching and his once dependable chin seemed to fail him, being stung and hurt often. His right was not effective, but he was scoring with his left hand. He was dropped after the bell of the 6th round in a foul; and in the 7th legitimately. Page was taking advantage of Coetzee's recklessness. In exchange after exchange as the bout wore on, it was Coetzee, the "puncher", losing the skirmishes and being hurt. He was knocked out in Round 8. But, there was controversy.

Coetzee's camp protested that not only had the 8th round run too long, but also that while Coetzee was on the canvas the bell had sounded and the referee's count should have been waved off. Generally, this would have allowed Coetzee to continue for at least one more round. The 8th, the round in question actually did run for almost a minute too long.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tEbHCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT199|last=Kent|first=Graeme|publisher=[[Pavilion Books|Robson Books]]|isbn=1861053258|title=Boxing's Strangest Fights: Incredible but True Encounters from over 250 Years of Boxing History|pages=199–200|year=1997|access-date=2019-07-11}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Despite this, the WBA recognized the result as it happened, and affirmed Page as the winner by a knockout in eight. Coetzee and his camp demanded an immediate rematch. Instead, Page went on to face [[Tony Tubbs]] whom he had beaten several times in the amateurs.