Boxer Maxim Dadashev Dies After Brutal Fight Aged 28

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Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev has passed away at the age of 28 after he suffered serious head injuries in a major fight.

The 28-year-old was left in a medically induced coma after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a world title eliminator against Puerto Rican Subriel Matias at MGM National Harbor in suburban Washington D.C.

Dadashev, nicknamed Mad Max, took repeated blows to the head on Friday night (July 19) before the fight was halted during the 11th round.

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According to TASS, the boxer became ill after the fight and started vomiting, before struggling to walk out of the ring. Dadashev then lost consciousness, collapsing in front of spectators before being escorted out of the arena, MailOnline reports.

The boxer’s condition rapidly deteriorated, and he was rushed to hospital in Washington in a critical condition where the ‘right side of his skull’ was removed by surgeons to relieve swelling on his brain following the serious head injuries he sustained.

Dadashev was found to have suffered extensive bleeding and a subdural haematoma during the emergency surgery and was showing signs of ‘severe brain damage,’ reports show.

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The 28-year-old had entered the fight against Matias unbeaten, having won all of his previous 13 contests, the Independent reports. Dadashev was a talented amateur boxer and had won silver and bronze medals in the Russian Championships before turning professional.

Since his tragic passing, tributes have poured in for the talented boxer from fellow sportspersons and people in the industry.

Amanda Serrano, a Puerto Rican professional boxer, wrote on Twitter:

With a Saddened Heart I want to send my deepest condolences to the family of Maxim Dadashev who passed away after receiving head trauma in his last fight. Ppl boxing is a tuff sport, we put our lives on the line every single time we step in the ring. RIP my boxing brother

Former British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell nearly suffered a similar fate in 2016, when he suffered from a bleed outside of the brain on his skull and was placed into a medically induced coma after a fight with Chris Eubank Jr.

The boxer collapsed, was given oxygen and taken from the ring on a stretcher – after which he ‘died’ in the ambulance, he told talkSPORT.

Fortunately, Blackwell was brought out of his induced coma one week later and made a fast recovery – until he was sent into a second coma during a spar with Hasan Karkardi. After that, he had to ‘walk, talk, eat’ again. ‘I had to learn everything again,’ he added.

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Now, Blackwell faces a ‘continuous fight’ for years to come, although he still remains upbeat and hopes to open his own gym at some point in the near future.

Rest in peace, Maxim. Our thoughts are with the boxer’s loved ones at this difficult time.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.

Lucy Connolly

A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).