Boxer Simiso Buthelezi Has Died At 24 After Video Showed Him Punching Air In The Ring
He suddenly got lost mid-fight.
Boxer Simiso Buthelezi in a viral clip.
Boxer Simiso Buthelezi has died at the age of 24 after he seemingly became lost during a fight and collapsed, according to officials in South Africa.
Buthelezi seemed to have the upper hand during a lightweight title match on Sunday when he went to his corner and seemed to become disoriented, video shows. He turned away from the other fighter and started punching at the air, then collapsed into the corner while a referee tried to help him.
The bout stopped there and Buthelezi's opponent, Siphesihle Mntungwa, was declared the winner.
The video has been watched millions of times since it was posted over the weekend, as viewers have been trying to figure out exactly what happened to him.
He was hospitalized after the incident for a brain injury and internal bleeding and was pronounced dead on Tuesday night, Boxing South Africa said in a joint statement with his family.
"Boxing South Africa will conduct an independent medical review of the injury and will then make public the results of that medical review," it said.
"The Buthelezi family and Boxing South Africa acknowledges warm words of condolences of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture."
They added that Buthelezi was a "great boxer who was exemplary both outside and inside the ring."
Buthelezi is not the first boxer to die of injuries from a fight. Last year, for example, a Mexican boxer was injured during a fight in Montreal. He ended up spending the following five days in hospital before he died.