Nottingham Charity Calls For Boxing Ban

25 July 2019, 14:14 | Updated: 25 July 2019, 14:29

Nottingham-Based brain injury charity Headway has called for boxing to be banned after the death of Russian Maxim Dadashev.

The 28-year-old died following injuries suffered in his IBF light-welterweight fight against Subriel Matias in the United States on Friday.

The bout was stopped by Dadashev's trainer Buddy McGirt at the end of the 11th round and the Russian was taken to hospital with bleeding on the brain but failed to recover following emergency surgery.

The charity has called Dadashev's death an "unacceptable waste of yet another young life".

Chief executive Peter McCabe said: "We are saddened to hear of this tragic loss of life and our thoughts go out to Maxim's family and friends.

"It's heartbreaking that another child has lost their father in this senseless manner.

"Suggestions that boxers understand the risk, or that such tragedies are unpredictable are simply not credible. Young boxers are not provided with the information to make an informed choice.

"So long as the ultimate objective of boxing is to render your opponent senseless by repeated blows to the head, then boxing will remain a dangerous activity.

"In the words of Maxim's own trainer Buddy McGirt after the fight, 'He seemed OK, he was ready, but it's the sport that we're in. It just takes one punch'.

"The time has come for boxing to be banned."