Boxer Dies After Brain Surgery
Bleachersreport
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian professional boxer died in hospital on Wednesday after undergoing brain surgery following a title fight last week.
Muhammad Afrizal died at the Christian University (UKI) Hospital in eastern Jakarta, said Anton Sihombing, chairman of the Indonesian Boxing Commission.
"This is a tragedy in our boxing history," said Sihombing, who attended the title bout on Friday, which was broadcast live on a local TV station. "We have to do our best to prevent a reoccurrence in the future."
He said Afrizal, a former Pan Asia Boxing Association featherweight champion, was rushed to a nearby hospital when he vomited one hour after a junior-lightweight bout.
The 30-year-old Afrizal was knocked down once during the 12-round bout against countryman Irvan Marbun, who won in a unanimous decision.
Sihombing said there was no indication that Afrizal had suffered a serious injury as he left the ring.
Afrizal is the 28th Indonesian boxer to have died in the country's boxing history since 1948. The last fatality was in 2007.
In early 2002, the World Boxing Council banned Indonesian boxers from fighting in WBC-sanctioned bouts outside the country following a series of deaths in 2001.
The ban was lifted in July 2002 on the condition that Indonesia imposed safety rules and formed a commission to monitor matches.
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