The death of Ardi Ndembo: was a fatal boxing fight

The father of two stepped into a ring in April for the last bout of his life. There are pressing questions about the events leading to his death

Ardi Ndembo’s trainer described the 27-year-old heavyweight as a “good guy”. Over dinner they would discuss the differences between America and Ndembo’s home country, Congo. He particularly liked to talk about his two children, who he described as his “best friends”.

Those children are now without a father. On 5 April, Ndembo stepped into a ring in Coral Gables, Florida and was knocked out in 57 seconds. Doctors placed him into an induced coma. He never regained consciousness and died three weeks later.

Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com. In 2004, the Boxing Writers Association of America honored him with the Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence in boxing journalism. In 2019, he was selected for boxing’s highest honor – induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.