Local boxing has never known a week like it.

Two pro fighters were murdered in the streets and another died from injuries suffered in the ring.

Established fighters Lwando Mulwana and Boitshepo Mandawe both met violent ends, as so many South Africans do.

The other, Mzwanele Kompolo, slipped into a coma after an early knockout loss in the Eastern Cape. He later died in hospital.

Molwana died on the dirty streets of the Marikana informal settlement in Philippi in the Western Cape, shot, it seems, in a random attack so typical of life in South Africa. Ironically, yesterday marked 10 years to the day since Mzukisi Sikali, a former champion, was stabbed to death in Port Elizabeth.

Perhaps the most predictable death was Mandawe’s. The welterweight died after being stabbed in a shebeen in Soweto on Sunday night.

In his prime he was good enough to give future world champion Chris van Heerden hell in two rousing fights, but his life spiralled out of control. He revelled in his “Gangster” nickname, running with the wrong crowd and drinking heavily.

He fought big names like Paul Kamanga and Ali Funeka and finally lost his last fight in Thailand just over two weeks ago. The miracle was that he was able to box at all given the life he chose.

As a professional athlete, he had no business being in a shebeen.

“I’m not surprised it ended this way,” said his former trainer Nick Durandt. “He lived fast and loose.”

Boxing, as ever, will go on.

It always does.