Boxer loses last bout

28 October 2014 - 02:01 By David Isaacson and Bongani Magasela
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
TRADING BLOWS: Ndobayini Kholose of North West, right, in a battle against Phindile Mwelase of KwaZulu-Natal, during their junior featherweight fight in Mpumalanga in April. Mwelase died in hospital on Saturday after being knocked out earlier this month
TRADING BLOWS: Ndobayini Kholose of North West, right, in a battle against Phindile Mwelase of KwaZulu-Natal, during their junior featherweight fight in Mpumalanga in April. Mwelase died in hospital on Saturday after being knocked out earlier this month
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE

Phindile Mwelase, the female boxer who fell into a coma after being knocked out earlier this month, has died.

She is the first female fighter in South Africa to die as a result of punishment in the ring.

Mwelase was taken off life support and moved out of intensive care last week, but it is understood that she never regained consciousness.

"We thought she was getting better," said André Thysse, co-owner of Real Steel Promotions, which staged Mwelase's bout in Pretoria on October 10.

Mwelase, who turned 31 in hospital on Monday last week, died on Saturday.

She was knocked out in the sixth round by Liz Butler in a professional bout.

Mwelase, who had failed to win any of her four previous bouts, had been competitive until getting caught with a single right hand, which caused her to slump to her knees.

She then toppled forward after losing consciousness.

She was initially taken to Kalafong Hospital, but was transferred to Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, where she underwent surgery to stem bleeding on the brain nearly 48 hours after first collapsing.

"Butler is devastated. She says she's not going to box again," said Thysse.

Pumeza Zinakile, the referee in charge of the ill-fated fight, said she had regularly visited the stricken boxer in hospital.

"After seeing Phindile go through that suffering, when she lay with her body lifelessly on her bed with the bandages [the hand wraps] that I had signed before she fought Liz Butler, makes me very sad," said Zinakile.

BSA Gauteng manager Archie Nyingwa described Mwelase as a soldier who died with her gun in her hands.

"What makes it so sad is that no one could have foreseen the incident," Nyingwa said. "I have been a fight supervisor for over 20 years and I have witnessed boxers take poundings, and nothing of this sort happened.

"Phindile was herself; in control of the fight and looked like she was winning. I am torn apart. Like they say, when your time is up, nothing can stop you from going.

"My conclusion from this is that her time had come and, like a soldier, she died with her gun in her hands."

Mwelase's mother was discharged from hospital last week after struggling with illness.

Mwelase is from Ladysmith but was trained in Johannesburg by Stanley Ndlovu.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now