A South African boxer tragically passed away from internal brain bleeding after he was fighting for the WBF All Africa lightweight title when he suddenly began shadow boxing in the last round.
Footage from the fight shows 24-year-old Simiso Buthelezi going against Siphesihle Mntungwa, when he suddenly becomes disoriented and begins shadow boxing around the ring believing that his opponent was somewhere else. The official ended the match and Buthelezi was rushed to the hospital on Sunday and was pronounced dead on Tuesday.
Boxing South Africa released a statement on Tuesday revealing the tragic news about Buthelezi and what occurred after the match.
“It is with great sadness for Boxing South Africa and the Buthelezi family to announce the passing away of Mr Simiso Buthelezi, who passed away last night on 7 June in hospital in Durban [South Africa],” the statement reads. “Towards the end of his bout, Mr Buthelezi collapsed and was taken to hospital and it was discovered that he suffered a brain injury which resulted in internal bleeding. At the hospital, Mr Buthelezi was given the best care possible but he succumbed to the injury.”
Buthelezi was put into a medically induced coma, according to ESPN, before he passed away on Tuesday. It’s still unclear how the brain bleed occurred because he didn’t receive any heavy head blows during the match and his trainer, Bheki Mngomezulu, said he was in perfect health prior to the start of the bout.
“I really can’t explain what happened, to be honest,” Mngomezulu added. “It was bewildering, but in his training and in the build-up to the fight, there was nothing untoward with regards to his condition. He was in good nick before the fight.”
