Russian boxer attacked by fans in Turkiye after knockout victory sparks riot
Nation27 April, 02:35 PM
The bout for the Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) world championship featured Turkish fighter Emirhan Kalkan against Russia's Sergey Gorokhov. Tensions began to flare in the third round when members of the Russian team allegedly displayed disrespectful behavior toward Kalkan, drawing a hostile reaction from the crowd.
The situation escalated immediately after Gorokhov secured a knockout victory and began a boisterous celebration. When the Russian fighter later approached Kalkan to offer a post-match show of respect, a member of the Turkish team shoved him, acting as a catalyst for the ensuing riot.
Dozens of people surged into the ring, targeting Gorokhov and his support staff. Video footage of the incident shows the Russian team being pelted with plastic chairs and subjected to kicks and punches from the mob.
Security personnel attempted to intervene, but the sheer volume of people made it impossible to restore order quickly. The event was halted before an official result could be announced in the ring. Local authorities and sanctioning bodies have launched a formal investigation into the incident.
Earlier, Jarrell Miller became a mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk's WBA title after handing Cuban prospect Lenier Pero his first professional loss.