The death of Skhumbuzo Ximba last Friday could have been avoided if Boxing SA made it compulsory that boxers graduating from the amateur ranks to the professionals, making come backs after losing fights by knockouts or renewing licensees, must go for brain scans.
But the authorities will have to assist boxers financially because that test costs around R10,000. That will assist in diagnosing potential danger that could lead to permanent injuries or death.
The assumption that boxers would have recovered after serving suspension, especially 90 days which is informed by the punishment index that is compiled by ring side physicians after a boxer had been knocked out badly or taken severe punishment during a boxing match, is dicing with death. Only the brain scan can provide conclusive evidence.
Boxers put their lives at risk every time they stepped inside that roped square ring. Getting hit on the head presents serious effect on the brain which gets shaken violently every time a punch lands.
In 2018, CEO Tsholofelo Lejaka announced that the regulator was working on a comprehensive life cover for licensed boxers that will cover their income protection and disability outside the confines of the sport.
He, however, said the challenge was affordability because almost all options they received were about 10 times more than what a boxer pays to renew their licence. His successor Nsikayezwe Sthole made similar promises including medical aid but it remained a pie in the sky.
Ximba was involved in a sparring session which lasted for four rounds. His trainer Samson Ndlovu cannot tell if his charge was punished in that session or not because he was not present. Ximba collapsed during sparring, rushed to the hospital where he passed away.
Ndlovu revealed that Ximba was once hit on his head by a stick back home in Empangeni. He then began fainting during sparring. Ximba was also knocked out badly in Polokwane in June. The expected punishment from that vicious knockout is 90 days which would have been determined by the punishment index that is compiled by ring side physicians present in that tournament.
In 2014 Phindile Mwelase died at Steve Biko Hospital in Pretoria two weeks after falling into the coma.
Boxers need mandatory brain scan
Ximba’s death last week avoidable
Image: Arnold Nododile
The death of Skhumbuzo Ximba last Friday could have been avoided if Boxing SA made it compulsory that boxers graduating from the amateur ranks to the professionals, making come backs after losing fights by knockouts or renewing licensees, must go for brain scans.
But the authorities will have to assist boxers financially because that test costs around R10,000. That will assist in diagnosing potential danger that could lead to permanent injuries or death.
The assumption that boxers would have recovered after serving suspension, especially 90 days which is informed by the punishment index that is compiled by ring side physicians after a boxer had been knocked out badly or taken severe punishment during a boxing match, is dicing with death. Only the brain scan can provide conclusive evidence.
Boxers put their lives at risk every time they stepped inside that roped square ring. Getting hit on the head presents serious effect on the brain which gets shaken violently every time a punch lands.
In 2018, CEO Tsholofelo Lejaka announced that the regulator was working on a comprehensive life cover for licensed boxers that will cover their income protection and disability outside the confines of the sport.
He, however, said the challenge was affordability because almost all options they received were about 10 times more than what a boxer pays to renew their licence. His successor Nsikayezwe Sthole made similar promises including medical aid but it remained a pie in the sky.
Ximba was involved in a sparring session which lasted for four rounds. His trainer Samson Ndlovu cannot tell if his charge was punished in that session or not because he was not present. Ximba collapsed during sparring, rushed to the hospital where he passed away.
Ndlovu revealed that Ximba was once hit on his head by a stick back home in Empangeni. He then began fainting during sparring. Ximba was also knocked out badly in Polokwane in June. The expected punishment from that vicious knockout is 90 days which would have been determined by the punishment index that is compiled by ring side physicians present in that tournament.
In 2014 Phindile Mwelase died at Steve Biko Hospital in Pretoria two weeks after falling into the coma.
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