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Johannesburg - World Boxing Foundation (WBF) featherweight champion Ludumo Galada was killed in a car accident on Sunday morning.
The news was confirmed by Galada's manager Siphatho Handi who revealed that the fighter died in car accident on Sunday morning.
He was returning home from a church service in Johannesburg when his car was involved in an accident in Aliwal North. Details of the accident were still sketchy.
"We still can't believe it but I guess we have to leave with these things," a distraught Handi said.
At the time of his death, Galada was preparing for his title defence against former IBO champion Takalani Ndlovu in an eagerly anticipated clash at the Orient Theatre in East London on January 23.
Fight promoter Koko Godlo said he had not yet decided if the tournament would go ahead in light of the tragedy.
The 26-year becomes the first fighter in the country to die while holding a world title.
Galada, unbeaten in 13 bouts, represented the country at the 2004 Athens Olympics where he was eliminated in the second round.
He immediately turned professional and won the Baby Champs title in his second year as a professional.
He claimed the SA featherweight crown, beating Sidney Maluleke before winning the WBF title with an easy first round knockout victory over Kenyan David Kiilu in August last year.
He defended the crown, knocking out Mexican Pedro Navarrete in two rounds in November and was set to vie for the second defence of the crown against Ndlovu.
Boxing SA director of operations Loyiso Mtya described Galada's death as a big blow for national boxing. "He was one of the talented fighters who we were still expecting great things from," he said. The date of the funeral has not been announced as yet.
The news was confirmed by Galada's manager Siphatho Handi who revealed that the fighter died in car accident on Sunday morning.
He was returning home from a church service in Johannesburg when his car was involved in an accident in Aliwal North. Details of the accident were still sketchy.
"We still can't believe it but I guess we have to leave with these things," a distraught Handi said.
At the time of his death, Galada was preparing for his title defence against former IBO champion Takalani Ndlovu in an eagerly anticipated clash at the Orient Theatre in East London on January 23.
Fight promoter Koko Godlo said he had not yet decided if the tournament would go ahead in light of the tragedy.
The 26-year becomes the first fighter in the country to die while holding a world title.
Galada, unbeaten in 13 bouts, represented the country at the 2004 Athens Olympics where he was eliminated in the second round.
He immediately turned professional and won the Baby Champs title in his second year as a professional.
He claimed the SA featherweight crown, beating Sidney Maluleke before winning the WBF title with an easy first round knockout victory over Kenyan David Kiilu in August last year.
He defended the crown, knocking out Mexican Pedro Navarrete in two rounds in November and was set to vie for the second defence of the crown against Ndlovu.
Boxing SA director of operations Loyiso Mtya described Galada's death as a big blow for national boxing. "He was one of the talented fighters who we were still expecting great things from," he said. The date of the funeral has not been announced as yet.
