Coetzer's most notable fights include those against Johnny du Plooy, Riddick Bowe, Frank Bruno, and George Foreman.
Over the next three years, Coetzer notched a dozen victories; including wins against Larry Frazier, Eddie "Young Joe Louis" Taylor, and Alfredo Evangelista.
He then faced Puerto Rican Ossie Ocasio, who had won the WBA Cruiserweight Championship, and who had defeated boxers such as Jimmy Young, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, and Robbie Williams.
Ocasio won the ten-round bout on points, which gave Coetzer his first loss since the South African Heavyweight Title.
However, after defeating Tim Anderson (U.S.) and Manoel De Almeida (Brazil), Coetzer faced Ocasio in a rematch at the Standard Bank Indoor Arena, and won the ten-round bout on points.