Maxim Dadashev has tragically died, aged 28, from head injuries suffered in a brutal loss to Subriel Matias on Friday.
The Russian boxer underwent a serious brain surgery following the 11th-round defeat in an IBF light-welterweight title eliminator in Maryland. Dadashev had the right side of his skull removed to ease brain swelling after suffering a subdural haematoma.
The op, performed by Neurosurgeon Mary I.H. Cobb, reportedly took several hours and the St Petersburg-born fighter was then placed in a medically induced coma. But the super-lightweight lost the most important fight of his life and passed away due to the extent of his injuries.
The WBC have said Dadashev’s trainer Buddy McGirt his strength and conditioning coach Donatas Janusevicius have confirmed the tragic reports. He tweeted: “So terribly sad to hear the news of the passing of Maxim Dadashev. Rest in Peace.”
McGirt stopped the Matias bout on Friday night after the Russian missed a number of punches in the 11th round. The boxer also vomited and lost consciousness. Dadashev’s wife – with whom he has a young son – travelled from St Petersburg to be with her husband in Washington following the fight. Prior to his death, manager Egis Klimas was optimistic that the boxer could “come back to normal life”
Klimas said: “Within the next couple of days the swelling should decrease. Let’s hope that the part of the skull will be put back in place. The doctor says that Max may come back to normal life. Right now, he’s in critical condition, but the doctor told me that he’s stable.”
Dadashev had been undefeated before losing to Matias in Maryland. He had won all of his 13 bouts – 11 of them by knock outs – since making his debut in 2016. In his amateur days, he was a silver and two-time bronze medallist of the Russian National Championships.
Photo Credit: Getty
