(Rightallegiance.com) – In a tragic turn of events, British middleweight boxer Sherif Lawal passed away after collapsing in the ring during his first professional bout on Sunday. The incident occurred after Lawal was struck on the temple by his opponent, Malam Varela, during the fourth round at the Harrow Leisure Centre in London.
The fight organizers, Warren Boxing Management, confirmed Lawal’s death through a statement released via Reuters. “Unfortunately, during Sherif’s fight, he collapsed and, despite the best efforts of the paramedics, he was later pronounced dead,” the statement read. Warren Boxing Management also extended their deepest sympathies to Lawal’s family, friends, and coaching team, highlighting the profound loss felt by all who knew him.
The British Boxing Board of Control also expressed their condolences, noting that the entire British boxing community shares in the grief of this difficult moment. “The thoughts of all those involved in Boxing in Great Britain are with them at this difficult time,” they said in a statement.
Lawal and Varela’s match, which was initially slated to last six rounds, was the opening fight of the card that day. This devastating incident adds to the somber list of fatalities in the sport. Boxing, known for its intense physical demand and risks, has seen similar tragedies in the past.
One such incident occurred in 2019 when New York boxer Patrick Day died following injuries sustained in a match in Chicago. Day was knocked unconscious in the 10th round and subsequently underwent brain surgery. Sadly, he fell into a coma and never regained consciousness. His opponent, Charles Conwell, an Olympic boxer, later expressed his profound sorrow in an open letter to Day and his family during the ordeal, revealing the emotional toll the incident took on him.
The loss of Sherif Lawal underscores the inherent risks of boxing, a sport that continuously grapples with the balance between athlete safety and the competitive nature of its encounters. As the boxing community mourns, questions about safety protocols and the measures in place to protect boxers continue to be at the forefront of discussions within the sport.