By Ronnie Nathanielsz
South African junior flyweight Samora Msophi who was stopped in the fourth round of a title fight against champion Mfundo Gwayana at the Orient Theater has died in an East London hospital in South Africa.
Super Sport reported that Msophi was attended to by ringside doctors and rushed to hospital after lapsing into a coma. Doctors operated to remove a clot in his brain but Msophi never regained consciousness.
Msophi had lost only once and that was a second round TKO at the hands of Johnny Oliphant in November 2007.
Super Sport said that “even though Msophi was down for counts in the first and third rounds he came back at the champion and staggered him in the second round.”
The report said Gwayana who is not known as a power puncher backed the challenger into a corner and “landed about ten punches to the head” before referee Alan Matekane stepped in and stopped the bout 49 seconds into the round.
Well-known boxing writer Ron Jackson said “going into the fight there was a lot of bad blood between the fighters and at the first bell both boxers threw punches with intent.”
Records indicate that since 1889 at least 44 pro fighters and 25 amateurs have died after fights in South Africa.
Boxing South Africa’s director of operations Loyiso Mtya described Msophi’s death as a tragedy and appealed to people not to blame anybody for the fighter’s death.
Msophi’s mentor who promoted the fight, Siphatho Handi could not hold back the tears saying “I cannot begin to express my feelings. This boy was like a son to me. He was not only training in my club but our families are also close. We had high hopes for him.”
