Relief as Blom reunites with family after ring scare

East London boxing trainer Lonki Witbooi breathed a sigh of relief after his charge, Sinethemba Blom, was finally discharged from hospital.

Blom was admitted to Tembisa Hospital in Johannesburg a fortnight ago after his 10th-round knockout loss to Khaya Busakwe in their SA lightweight title clash at the Vodacom Dome in Midrand.

Confident of dethroning the champion, the former amateur star Blom came unstuck as he could not solve Busakwe’s reach advantage and awkward style.

After getting dropped in the third round, the Cumakala-born Blom rallied to put Busakwe in trouble in the next round before slacking the pace and allowing his foe to dominate the fight once again.

The knockout blow came when Blom was visibly tiring and the impact later proved costly after he collapsed and was rushed to hospital.

His situation mirrored that of Duncan Village boxer Yanga Sigqibo — one of Witbooi’s former charges — who was also rushed to hospital after losing to Ricardo Malajika in their IBO junior-bantamweight title clash at Emperors Palace a few weeks before the Midrand show.

Witbooi, who remained in Johannesburg with his boxer, said he was relieved when doctors finally discharged Blom late last week.

“He was discharged on Thursday after initial reports of bleeding in the brain were proved invalid,” he said.

“I took him to Cape Town to his family before returning to East London and now I can relax.”

Witbooi said Blom’s knock brought back memories of Khanyile Bulana who also ended up in hospital after his loss to Lunga Sitemele in 2022 in a SA junior-lightweight title challenge in Cape Town.

“I was part of the Bulana team and while his condition was due to a pre-existing injury, it was still heartbreaking.

“For Blom, it was the first for me to be faced with that alone and I still struggle to understand what happened.”

Witbooi said Blom never complained about anything during the fight and even though Busakwe’s blows landed, he said he did not feel them.

“Everything in the corner was fine and Blom knew he had to duck below those swings, so his collapse came as a shock.”

Doctors gave Blom the all-clear to continue boxing as no neurological injury was detected, Witbooi said.

However, Witbooi said he would sit down with the boxer, who holds a university degree, to plot his next step.