Dingaan Thobela, better known as the ‘Rose of Soweto’, has died. Image: Wikimedia Commons
SA boxer suffers frightening head injury overseas
South African boxer Ludumo Lamati is recovering in the neurological ward of a hospital in Northern Ireland.
Dingaan Thobela, better known as the ‘Rose of Soweto’, has died. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Talented boxer Ludumo Lamati, who was born in Mdantsane, is said to have collapsed in the 12th round of his recent bout against WBC silver featherweight defending champion, Nick Ball, in Belfast.
He was placed in an induced coma and is now said to be making a steady recovery in the neurological ward of a hospital.
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Lamati’s Promoter, Larry Weinstein, said it was Lamati’s first loss after winning 22 fights in a row, as reported by AlgoaFM.
“In his career, Ludumo had never been counted or dropped, he walked [to his corner] and collapsed, with 40 seconds left on the clock.”
Prayers have poured in for the boxer
Lamati, who suffered a head injury during his fight, is now set to face a difficult decision as to whether he can continue his boxing career.
The 31-year-old’s mother, Joyce Thandi Lamati, and girlfriend Chadday, are said to have flown to Ireland to be by his side as he recovers.
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Another SA sports star also in hospital
On Friday, shock news came to light that Hougaard had spent the past week unconscious in intensive care. According to a Netwerk24 report, a source close to the situation said that Hougaard is suffering from severe inflammation of his lungs, having felt nauseous after going to sleep last Friday, 9 June before slipping into a coma.
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Sunday newspaper Rapport further reports that it took an hour and a half to stabilise him, while he is being monitored around the clock in ICU. Only close family are apparently allowed to visit Hougaard and doctors are giving him a 50% chance of waking up from his coma.
“He has not been awake since then and is on a ventilator because his lungs are not working properly,” the source said. “He is in the intensive care unit where only one person can visit him at a time, so it is a very difficult situation.
“It is obviously traumatic for everyone who goes to visit him to see him with so many pipes in his body and to know that he is fighting for his life.”
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