Troubled ex-NBA star Delonte West was brutally knocked out less than a minute into his boxing debut against fellow league veteran Michael Beasley on Friday night.

The 43-year-old was stopped just 38 seconds into the opening round of their clash at streamer Adin Ross' Brand Risk 16 event at a warehouse in Miami.

The distressing spectacle sparked widespread backlash and concern across social media from viewers who questioned why West was cleared to step into the ring.

West came out charging wildly from the opening bell, throwing erratic, heavy swings that repeatedly left him visibly off balance.

Beasley, 37, kept his composure before landing a clean right hand that sent West crashing heavily down to the canvas.

West struggled to get back to his feet as the referee administered the count, with the official calling a halt to the contest inside the opening minute.

Chaos quickly followed the stoppage when the ring announcer mistakenly declared West as the winner of the bout, prompting disbelief across the broadcast.

West had spent eight seasons in the NBA with the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Dallas Mavericks before playing his final game in 2012.

The former first-round pick has endured a widely documented battle with substance abuse, bipolar disorder, and homelessness over the past decade.

Back in January, West was arrested after allegedly robbing an individual for a grand total of $23. 

According to TMZ, law enforcement received a call from an individual who claimed they had been robbed in the Belle Haven area and that the culprit had fled the scene.

However, it emerged that the culprit did not get far at all and, when officers arrived, the individual identified a man standing across the street as the culprit.

It turned out that it was former NBA star West, who has had a number of run-ins with the law in Fairfax over recent years. 

The outlet claim that West was taken into custody before being released on a $1,000 bond. Officials claimed that the total amount which he stole was just $23.

Streamer Adin Ross defended putting West on the card during the broadcast, insisting he ensured the former athlete was well compensated for taking part.

'I made sure he got paid well,' Ross said on the stream, adding that he was simply happy to provide West with an opportunity to rebuild his life.

However, basketball supporters voiced outrage online over the event, with many branding the exhibition as exploitative given West's vulnerable health history.