A terrifying first-round knockout at the ongoing Commonwealth Games left a boxer hanging through the ropes, a video of which has gone viral on social media. Wales’ Orlando Holley-Sotomi sent Lesotho’s Refiloe Thai crashing through the ropes during their men’s 70kg boxing quarterfinal, forcing an immediate medical intervention inside the ring.
The frightening incident unfolded just over a minute into the opening round when Holley-Sotomi landed a thunderous right hand flush on Thai’s temple. The force of the punch left the latter unable to defend himself as he crashed through the ropes, resulting in one of the most dramatic and concerning moments of the CWG till now.
The quarterfinal started at a blistering pace, with both boxers looking to seize
the initiative early. Thai came out well, but Holley-Sotomi settled into the contest and started finding his range with a series of clean punches.
Watch the video here:
🚨BRUTAL KO at the Commonwealth Games as Orlando Holley-Sotomi of Wales knocks out Refiloe Thai in their 70kg Quarter Final pic.twitter.com/v5X2Cz9sWV
— Tokkerū (@ATokkers5) July 29, 2026
The decisive moment came moments later when Holley-Sotomi landed a thunderous right hand on Thai’s temple, knocking him off balance. As the former followed up with a left, Thai tumbled through the ropes and was left lying motionless, supported only by the bottom rope.
Medical staff rushed into the ring within seconds to attend to Thai before moving him back inside the ropes for further treatment. He soon showed encouraging signs by attempting to sit up while doctors continued their assessment, easing concerns after the frightening incident.
The referee stopped the contest, awarding Holley-Sotomi a first-round knockout win. While the immediate focus remained on Thai’s condition, the result marked another significant milestone in Holley-Sotomi’s career.
Holley-Sotomi had already impressed by beating Paddy Hewitt in his opening bout. His emphatic first-round knockout win has now booked him a place in the semifinals, guaranteeing at least a bronze medal.
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