Victory was just the cherry on top for comeback kid Flo "Demolition Man" Simba, who forced Joshua Pretorius to retire in his corner going for the fourth round of their recent heavyweight bout.
What mattered most for Simba was his return to action during a tournament staged by Real Steel Promotion of Andre Thysse at Presleys in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, on Thursday.
The charismatic 28-year-old former IBO Youth heavyweight champion - who has type-1 diabetes - had taken a three-year break to pay full attention to his health.
It was later discovered that Simba was not taking his medication the way he should have been and that was risky for someone who battles with low blood glucose.
He was introduced to the diabetes care team at the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology (CDE) in Joburg.
"I cannot explain the feeling of returning to the ring.
Victory is just a cherry on top.
"Credit to my manager and the whole team but special thanks to my new family at the CDE, without whom I would not have returned to boxing," said Simba, who is now guided by trainer John Tshabalala.
Simba's doctor Debbie Gordon, who monitored the boxer's sugar levels during the fight, said: "Flo is the only boxer in the world with type-1 diabetes and also the only one to be allowed to box.
"With any high endurance sport, your sugar level can go high. Flo's level was 18 when he boxed on Thursday," revealed Gordon.
"That is way too high and because we could not draw blood from his fingers since he wore gloves, he was wearing a special tag on his leg which made it possible for us to monitor his level.
I was worried about his sugar levels... because he worked extra hard."
Simba roars back with KO after diabetes scare
Victory was just the cherry on top for comeback kid Flo "Demolition Man" Simba, who forced Joshua Pretorius to retire in his corner going for the fourth round of their recent heavyweight bout.
What mattered most for Simba was his return to action during a tournament staged by Real Steel Promotion of Andre Thysse at Presleys in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, on Thursday.
The charismatic 28-year-old former IBO Youth heavyweight champion - who has type-1 diabetes - had taken a three-year break to pay full attention to his health.
It was later discovered that Simba was not taking his medication the way he should have been and that was risky for someone who battles with low blood glucose.
He was introduced to the diabetes care team at the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology (CDE) in Joburg.
"I cannot explain the feeling of returning to the ring.
Victory is just a cherry on top.
"Credit to my manager and the whole team but special thanks to my new family at the CDE, without whom I would not have returned to boxing," said Simba, who is now guided by trainer John Tshabalala.
Simba's doctor Debbie Gordon, who monitored the boxer's sugar levels during the fight, said: "Flo is the only boxer in the world with type-1 diabetes and also the only one to be allowed to box.
"With any high endurance sport, your sugar level can go high. Flo's level was 18 when he boxed on Thursday," revealed Gordon.
"That is way too high and because we could not draw blood from his fingers since he wore gloves, he was wearing a special tag on his leg which made it possible for us to monitor his level.
I was worried about his sugar levels... because he worked extra hard."