Heavyweight Ardi Ndembo was knocked out by Nestor Santana in Team Combat League action over the weekend and is reportedly fighting for his life. Eric Herrholz, the founder of of Fight.TV, posted the following grim news on social media: "In Team Combat League action, undefeated heavyweight Ardi Ndembo (8-0) was brutally knocked out by Nestor Santana. Ndembo remained on the canvas for over ten minutes motionless. He was eventually carried out on a stretcher. League sources told me that he is currently in a medically induced coma and the prognosis is not great. Hoping for a miracle here. He moved to the USA from Congo, apparently hoping to follow in the footsteps of [MMA champion turned heavyweight boxer] Francis Ngannou." 

 

Team Combat League's website shows an April 5th competition between the Las Vegas Hustle and Miami Assassins taking place in Coral Gables, Florida.  Ndembo is listed as 8-0 for his career with his last full fight taking place on March 16th, a sixth-round TKO of Christia Larrondo Garcia in Mexico. Now in its second season, Team Combat League's format has boxers face each other in one-round contests that do not count towards boxers' official records. Ndembo had not fought any recorded bouts for Team Combat League prior to April 5th, the Miami team's season opener.

 

On its Instagram account, Team Combat League posted the following message: "Team Combat League extends its thoughts and prayers to Ardi Ndembo along with his family and friends. We kindly ask all to respect his family's request for privacy at this time."

 

Ndembo's homepage had a brief bio posted: "Ardi Ndembo da Sylva) is an undefeated professional boxer hotly tipped as a future contender for the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.Born into humble origins on the banks of the river Congo, as a young boy Ardi grew up to the bedtime storytelling of the legendary Rumble in the Jungle bout. Inspired by role models such as Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, Ardi developed his passion for boxing and began to show exceptional talent as a schoolboy in his native Brazzaville.

 

"Ardi, together with charitable endeavour, Future Champs, and in collaboration with other charities from around the globe, has launched several successful community gym building programs that have become central to disadvantaged communities and youth development programs within townships in Sub Saharan Africa. An inspiration and role model to younger generations across Africa and beyond, Ardi's Fair Play Initiative and Ardi's Fitness - Mind, Body and Soul not-for-profit community lifestyle programs are successfully challenging conventional government community development initiatives in bringing positive results in youth development and community spirit.