Russian Maxim Dadashev dead at 28

Russian Jr. Welterweight contender Maxim Dadashev died Tuesday in a Maryland hospital four days after suffering a massive head injury, while losing a one-sided fight. He was just 28 years old.

ESPN’s Steve Kim, who covered the co-main event fight Friday night between the previously unbeaten Dadashev and unbeaten Subriel Matias of Puerto Rico, and then in the middle of the night from the Prince George’s Hospital in nearby Cheverly, Maryland, relayed the news:

I hate to report this, but it's been confirmed that Maxim Dadashev has passed away this morning. Not much more to say other than this is incredibly tragic and sad. My thoughts and prayers to his loved ones. #boxing

— Steve Kim (@StevESPNKim) July 23, 2019

As we wrote Monday night, information had been scarce after Kim reported Dadashev, originally from Russia but training recently in California, has suffered serious brain damage and undergone surgery to relieve swelling. He had been in a medically induced coma, ever since. Dadashev’s wife arrived from Russia on Monday night to be with him in what turned out to be his final hours.

Matias was winning the fight decisively on all three judges cards, and Dadashev had continued to absorb punishment in the late rounds. That’s when, longtime trainer, and former fighter, James “Buddy” McGirt finally stopped it after the 11th round.

ESPN+ televised the fight and their cameras showed Dadashev clearly in distress in his corner after the stoppage, and there was some delay in getting him out of the ring and significant medical treatment. Media and observers at ringside saw him leave the ring with the help of his team, but, Dadashev was unable to make it back to the locker room before collapsing. He was then rushed by ambulance to the hospital.

Kim got these comments from McGirt early Tuesday afternoon:

Buddy McGirt on Maxim Dadashev:"great, great guy. He was a trainers dream. If I had two more guys like him, I wouldn't need anybody else because he was truly dedicated to the sport." #boxing

— Steve Kim (@StevESPNKim) July 23, 2019

Later on Tuesday afternoon, Dadashev’s wife released a statement:

Statement from the wife of Maxim Dadashev(Elizaveta Apushkina): It is with great sadness that I confirm the passing of my husband, Maxim Dadashev. He was a very kind person who fought until the very end. Our son will continue be raised to be a great man like his father.

— Steve Kim (@StevESPNKim) July 23, 2019

Dadashev’s death is the first known one in a boxing ring world wide in 2019.

Unfortunately, boxing has a brutal history of deaths in the ring, including two last year. One involved an Italian fighter named Christian Daghio in November of last year in Thailand, and also Scott Westgarth of the U.K., who was killed in February of 2018 after a bout there.

The most famous death involving a fight in the U.S. in the last 40 years was South Korean, Duk-Koo Kim being killed by Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini in a battle that was nationally televised by CBS from Las Vegas in November of 1982. Like Dadashev, Kim suffered a massive brain injury after Mancini’s knockout punch, had surgery soon after the fight, but also died a few days later in the Las Vegas hospital.

Also Tuesday afternoon, Top Rank Boxing and promoter Bob Arum, released their first statement about Dadashev’s death:

Statement from Bob Arum, chairman of @trboxing, on passing of Maxim Dadashev: "Maxim was a terrific young man. We are all saddened and affected by his untimely death." #boxing

— Gene Wang (@gene_wang) July 23, 2019

This latest tragedy will also call into question again, safety precautions and the immediacy of care for fighters that have clearly taken a beating or a serious knockout punch.