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South African Boxer Who Winged Punches in the Air Tragically Passes Away

Published 06/08/2022, 11:32 AM EDT

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The world is at a standstill as the saddening news about the South African fighter, Simiso Buthelezi, surfaced. The boxer tragically passed away after suffering from a brain injury during his fight against Siphesihle Mntungwa on Sunday.

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Buthelezi was rushed to the hospital after the referee stopped the fight because he seemed to be disoriented. Unfortunately, the fighter’s injury was too severe.

What happened to Simiso Buthelezi?

Buthelezi was undefeated prior to his title fight against Mntungwa on June 5, 2022. The 24-year-old exchanged blows with Mntungwa and dropped him at the ropes. However, when the referee signaled the fighters to continue, Buthelezi shocked everyone.

When Buthelezi was backing up, Mntungwa caught him with a hard jab. This blow caused him to lose his orientation. As the duo came closer to fighting again, Buthelezi went in a different direction and started punching the air unconsciously. Sadly, the last moments of his career went viral due to his loss of senses.

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‘What on Earth Has Happened?’: Boxing Fans Freak Out As Simiso Buthelezi Starts Fighting Invisible Opponent in the Ring

The referee stopped the fight immediately as he deemed Buthelezi unfit to continue. He was in a medically-induced coma after being rushed to the hospital. Shortly after, the fighter took his last breath. Consequently, the world mourns the loss of the young fighter.

Simiso Buthelezi’s boxing career

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The 24-year-old had been boxing professionally for just over 2 years. He made his professional debut against Simanga Ngcobo on December 21, 2019, Buthelezi won the fight via decision. He went on to fight three more times.

The African fighter had been undefeated in his previous four fights before he stepped in the ring against Siphesihle Mntungwa. Following this incident, Mntungwa became the WBF African lightweight champion on Sunday. Buthelezi ended his career with a 4-1 boxing record. The world of boxing will keep the South African fighter in their memory.

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WATCH THIS STORY: WATCH: Fighter Helps Opponent Relocate His Dislocated Shoulder Mid-Fight So They Could Continue Fighting

What do you think about the tragic passing of Simiso Buthelezi? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Darsh Karkera

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One take at a time

Darsh Karkera is a Boxing author at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his masters in Clinical Psychology at CHRIST University, Bangalore. According to Darsh himself, the one and only one thing that fuels him, is sports.
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Edited by:

Ajinkya Aswale