RIP, Maxim Dadashev; 28 Year Old Boxer Succumbs To Head Trauma

Rest in peace, warrior….

Maxim Dadashev died Tuesday morning after suffering brain trauma in a July 19 bout against Subriel Matias, at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

The fight screened on ESPN+, and was the featured bout before a Teofimo Lopez-Masayoshi Nakatani main event.

Dadashev had his moments…

Dadashev lands on Matias, in a pic furnished by Mikey Williams.

..but the Puerto Rican foe proved to be strong and energized as the rounds in the super lightweight battle progressed. After round 11, Buddy McGirt, trainer to Dadashev, spoke to his guy in the corner. He told him he wanted to stop the fight. The Russian-born fighter, age 28, said he wanted to continue.

But McGirt over-ruled the pugilist and informed the ref that he wanted the fight stopped. “I’m gonna stop the fight,” McGirt told Dadashev, before he sat on his stool. He looked into his eyes, wanting to see and hear the reaction. “Max, I’m gonna stop the fight. Max, you’re getting hit too much. You’re getting hit too much, Max.”

By now, the boxer, who was living in California,  took a seat. He was staring, blankly, as McGirt said, “If I don’t the referee is going to do it.” No answer from the Russian. Was he thinking about his 13-0 mark, was he wondering how much it would hurt to no go out for that 12th round?

“C’mon Max, please,” the Hall of Fame ex fighter stated. He told corner help to please be honest with the fighter. Then: “Stop it, doc. That’s it, that’s it,” McGirt said. Max looked, perhaps, a bit relieved. McGirt spoke on his choice post-fight. “I’d rather them be mad at me for a day or two, than be mad at me for the rest of their life,” he said. 

After the decision was announced, Dadashev walked, weakly, out of the ring. His legs were rubbery, and so officials on-site asked for a gurney to be brought to Dadshev. He was placed on the gurney and then vomited into a bucket. Enroute to a hospital, he lost consciousness, and the ambulance re-directed to a closer facility. Soon after, he had surgery, two hours long, to relieve swelling on the brain. That occured after midnight, late Friday night, into Sunday morning.

Word was scarce on his condition, because his wife would be traveling from Russia to Maryland, and her privacy was being respected. We got word before noon on Tuesday, in a Tweet by ESPN’s Dan Rafael,  that Dadashev had succumbed to his injuries.

Top Rank promoted the Friday event; TR spokesman Evan Korn said that the report by ESPN was correct, and verified that Dadashev had died.

In mid afternoon on Tuesday, Top Rank sent out a note:

Top Rank put out this public statement on Tuesday afternoon, acknowledging the sad news, that Maxim Dadashev had died.

We wish peace during this tragic time to his family and friends.

UPDATE: Here is a link, to a GoFundMe, for those left behind.