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The world of boxing witnessed a harrowing moment from a makeshift ring in a gym in Durban, South Africa, as one of the boxers lost control of his senses and was hitting an invisible opponent. The fight was for the new lightweight champion of the World Boxing Federation of Africa (WBF), where Simiso Buthelezi and Siphesihle Mntungwa were the contenders.
Buthelezi was nearing the title after ten rounds when things took a vicious turn. As Mntungwa was in the ropes with seconds left, Buthelezi started punching at the referee, before going to the corner and throwing punches at no one.
The promoter of the fight Zandile Malinga talked about the incident and said, “We would have rushed him to Edington Hospital which is the closest to Greyville Convention Centre where I staged my tournament but it does [not] have the neurological. I am still in shock; we did not anticipate this. As brutal as boxing can be but this is the last thing you expect. Everything was fine; no weight issues... basically no signs of anything to look into in that direction.”
His condition does not allow to operate at the moment: Mabaso
Doctor Buyi Mabaso-Dlamini is operating Buthelezi at King Edward Hospital in Durban. She addressed that he is ‘he is critical but stable’. She said, “He is not in a good health condition at all; he is critical but stable,” she said yesterday. “We discovered that he bled on the brain and sadly his condition does not allow the doctors that are treating to operate at the moment.”
It could be injuries building up all the years: Mabaso
“Another suspicion is that he may have suffered an injury before Sunday’s fight,” said Mabaso, who was ringside at Greyville Convention Centre where Buthlezi and Mntungwa fought for the vacant WBF All Africa lightweight title.
“It could be injuries building up all the years. His condition deteriorated when he was rushed to the hospital,” said Mabaso.
“But he was worse on his arrival at the hospital than when he left Greyville. We trust in God that a miracle can still happen.”