Boxer Maxim Dadashev Dies From Injuries Suffered in Brutal Fight
Junior welterweight Maxim Dadashev died Tuesday night after suffering brain injuries from a fight held on Friday.
The 28-year-old boxer incurred the injuries during an 11th round knockout loss to Subriel Matias at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Dadashev’s strength and conditioning coach Donatas Janusevicius alongside Dadashev’s trainer Buddy McGirt confirmed that Dadashev had died in UM Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland, where he was taken after the fight, ESPN reports.
“He did everything right in training — no problems, no nothing. My mind is, like, really running crazy right now. Like, what could I have done differently? But at the end of the day, everything was fine [in training],” McGirt told ESPN.
“He seemed OK. He was ready. But it’s the sport that we’re in. It just takes one punch, man.”
Dadashev came into the fight on Friday with an impressive 13-0 record.
As the fight waged on, Dadashev took several crippling blows to the head by Matias.
Ref’s aren’t doctors — but they gotta be better trained. Dadashev wasn’t in this fight anymore. You can see there’s nothing on his punches and staggered gait.
Dadashev is recovering from bleeding of brain. Doctor unsure extent of brain damage. pic.twitter.com/volVcTHnHC
— David Kano (@TheDKano) July 20, 2019
McGirt told Dadashev that he was ready to stop the fight, but Dadashev shook his head and said, “Please, Max, please. Let me do this. OK? OK? Look at me. Please.”
“Max, I’m gonna stop the fight, you’re getting hit too much. Please Max, please let me do this.”
Buddy McGirt begging Maxim Dadashev to stop fighting last Friday is even harder to watch now. RIP.pic.twitter.com/MXFoLYEF8T
— GiveMeSport Boxing (@GMSBoxing) July 24, 2019
However, McGirt called the fight and told the ringside physician as well as the referee, “That’s it.”
On Monday, Dadashev’s wife, Elizaveta Apushkina, flew in from Russia to be with her husband.
Shortly after his passing, a hospital spokesperson issued a statement on behalf of Dadashev’s widow.
“It is with great sadness that I confirm the passing of my husband, Maxim Dadashev,” Apushkina said.
“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. Lastly, I would like to thank everyone that cared for Maxim during his final days. I ask that everyone please respect our privacy during this very difficult time.”
Dadashev’s manager, Egis Klimas posted a tribute to the young boxer shortly after his death.
“As you can see, he didn’t leave us… He always will be in our hearts and memory as strong very discipline, very dedicated, true Champion,” Klimas said.
“He lived with one dream, to become a Champion!!! In my opinion he still and always will be one!”
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