South African boxer Mark Farah went down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend inside the boxing ring on her birthday.
After Farah defeated Congolese Welcome Malubu over four rounds at Presley's Restaurant in Boksburg, he signaled to his girfriend Sharne Gerhardt‚ who turned 27 years old on that day‚ to join him in the ring.
She made her way to the ring and when she eventually reached him‚ Farah asked the crowd to sing a hearty Happy Birthday for her.
Tears of joy rolled down her face as the crowd gave her one of the most rousing renditions she will ever receive in her life.
"Thank you very much‚" she sobbed‚ before attempting to leave the ring.
But as Gerhardt was about to leave the ring‚ Farah suddenly got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.
"Baby could you marry me?" he asked while holding a beautiful ring in his hands.
"I love you so much."
Gerhardt's tears flowed again as the enormity of what was happening finally dawned on her.
"Oh my God‚ oh my God! Wow‚ wow! Of course baby I will marry you‚" she gasped.
The crowd rose to give the couple an ovation.
No South African boxer had ever proposed in the ring and Farah became the first.
Farah said he kept a tight lid on his plans and his trainer Alan Toweel Junior slipped the ring to him before ring announcer Sipho Mashinini announced the verdict of the Real Steel's Promotion's "Champions of Tomorrow" development fight.
"It was a surprise‚" Farah said. "All she probably knew was that I was going to mention her birthday in the ring. We've been dating for four years now and we are madly in love."
Gerhardt was mobbed by well-wishers at the end of the festivities.
"Being called to the ring for my birthday was wonderful and I appreciated it‚" she said. "I just could not believe it when people started singing for me.
"I was preparing to make my way out of the ring and then he shocked me when he went down on his knees. I was like 'Oh my God‚ what is he going to do now? The next moment he took out this ring and asked me to marry him. That blew me over.  felt I had fainted because I just could not feel myself as I wiped tears off my face. That was the best thing to have ever happened to me. It was my best moment ever. Yes‚ I love him so much and I will marry him."
Source:  SowetanLIVE