Ardi Ndembo, a Congolese heavyweight boxer, tragically passed away after a knockout during a Team Combat League match on April 5 in Miami.
Ndembo was placed in an induced coma following the incident and did not recover. Viva Promotions, on Thursday night, announced his death, stating, “We at Viva Promotions mourn the loss of Ardi Ndembo, a talented Congolese boxer who tragically passed away after a knockout in a Team Combat League match on April 5. He remained in an induced coma until his untimely death. RIP Ardi Ndembo!”
Ndembo, 27, from Brazzaville, Congo, was a father of two and had been competing for the Miami Assassins of the TCL. He was knocked out by Nestor Santana of the Las Vegas Hustle and remained unconscious on the canvas for several agonizing minutes, according to reports. Following the incident, he was transported to a Miami hospital. A GoFundMe campaign was later organized to benefit his children, with Team Combat League promising to match all donations up to $25,000.
Jeff Mayweather, coach of the Las Vegas Hustle and uncle to Floyd Mayweather Jr., reflected on the risks of the sport to SunSport, saying, “Boxing is a sport where you grow up watching it and loving it, but there’s so much risk involved. Anyone can lose their life from boxing. When something like this happens, it wakes up the whole entire world.”