Siphesile Mntungwa has admitted he contemplated suicide after his rival Simiso Buthelezi tragically passed away following their boxing clash.
The pair were competing for the African lightweight title when Buthelezi began fighting an invisible opponent in the tenth round of their encounter. The referee stopped the fight with doctors later informing media that Buthelezi would need a miracle to survive after suffering bleeding on the brain and facing difficulties getting an operation.
Boxing South Africa later released a statement confirming Buthelezi's passing at a hospital in Durban. Mntungwa has since revealed he is overcome with stress from the events that unfolded after being branded a "killer". “I came into heavy criticism and received insults on social media platforms when Simiso was hospitalised; it has taken another level now that he has passed away," Mntungwa told Sowetan Live.
"I just can’t take it anymore. One thing is left for me – I am going to kill myself. Even my neighbours have posted very ugly messages about me on social media. I am no longer safe. I did not kill Simiso; we may have been involved in a boxing fight but it was not a matter of life and death. All I wanted was to win the title, which maybe was going to help change my life and that of my family.]
"I am the only one working at home, where I stay with my young brother, my aunt and her children. My mother died when I was four; my father is still alive but we don’t stay with him. So, winning that title was going to help me financially. But people have branded me a killer. It could have been me.
"Without doubt Simiso’s family is going through pain like any other family. Simiso has just graduated [with a degree in botany and zoology]. Who knows his family may have even sold their cows to make sure he finished his studies. It is sad and very painful, but I did not go in that boxing with an intention to kill him.”
Mntungwa was the one who was knocked through the ropes prior to the incident, which confused doctors as Buthelezi landed the more damaging blows in the contest. They now fear Buthelezi may have entered the ring with a pre-existing injury having been minutes away from a comfortable victory.
Mntungwa's trainer Mmeli Mkhize has since confirmed that his fighter is receiving support and the post-mortem will soon clear his name of any wrongdoing. “He is under pressure from social media messages," Mkhize said after the fight. "People have their own beliefs such as claims that we used umuthi and that is untrue. We will not even be able to attend the funeral because we are scared.”
