Boxer dies 36 hours after fight

[madjack]

Boxer dies 36 hours after fight

From our wire services

25jun02

News Interactive

LAS VEGAS: A Panamanian fighter has collapsed and died in his hotel room today, some 36 hours after he was stopped in a title fight.
Pedro Alcazar was taking a shower and getting ready to fly home when he suddenly collapsed. A Nevada boxing doctor said Alcazar had shown no symptoms of being hurt until he fell about 6am at the MGM Grand hotel-casino.

"He had brain swelling from some cause," said Dr Flip Homansky, who is also a member of the state's athletic commission.

"It was a total surprise and we're not sure why it happened. But you can't ignore he was in a professional boxing match Saturday night."

Alcazar, 26, ho was stopped in the sixth round of his 115-pound (52kg) WBO title fight with Fernando Montiel, had been examined in the ring immediately after the fight and later in the dressing room.

Two doctors found nothing wrong and didn't even recommend he be taken to a hospital for precautionary tests, as often happens.

"I've never seen anything like it," Homansky said.

"To my knowledge, there has never, ever, been something like this happen so long after a fight."

Homansky said Alcazar felt fine yesterday, spending the day sightseeing on the Las Vegas Strip with his cornermen.

He said he had a slight headache about 6pm and took a Tylenol, but had no other symptoms.

Alcazar, who was making the second defence of his WBO junior bantamweight title, brought a 25-1-0 record into the ring but was no match for Montiel.

Alcazar took a number of hard head punches before the fight was finally stopped by referee Ken Bayless with him still standing in the sixth round.

Homansky said Alcazar cried in the ring afterward because he lost, but showed no signs of any brain damage.

He was immediately examined by Dr. Margaret Goodman, a neurologist, and later in the dressing room by Dr William Berliner.

The night before, at a smaller card at another hotel five fighters were taken to the hospital for precautionary tests, Homansky said. Doctors in this case never felt they were needed.

"There was nothing medically out of line," he said.

"I was totally surprised by this. If anybody had shown the least bit of concern we would have sent him to the hospital."

Alcazar, from Panama City, was making his United States debut in the fight, which was on the undercard of the Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales featherweight title fight at the MGM Grand.

Alcazar had last fought on April 19 in Panama, where he stopped Alfredo Toro in the fourth round.

A single parent of two, Alcazar first began boxing at the age of 10 and was the Panamanian Golden Gloves champion and a gold medallist in the Central American Games.

[paul c]

It really is tragic, such young and healthy people dying in the prime of their lives participating in a sport.

This is the third such time I have heard of such a thing this year. It's happened at least twice last year.

I reckon they should introduce mandatory medical examinations immediately after the event. I don't mean just a quick look into the eyes with a flashlight. This wouldn't be that hard to organise, and if it only saves the one life it's worth it.

[Slyman]

That all we need.......
Guys, when you sit down and think about ALL the people boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai etc, fighting at both amateur and professional levels and think of the mortality rate...it's a stat that just gets blown out of proportion by media who want to shock the public and sell papers.
In the last five years here in Australia, I have heard of two deaths in the ring. (They were both were in Melbourne - not that means anything, dont get me wrong)
But has the media taken a look into horse racing and compared the deaths and serious injuries that jockeys have sustained over the last five years? Do you think they will ban horse racing....i dont think so!
What about rugby league? I have contacted the National Rugby league and asked about statistics on deaths and injuries. They wanted to comment only on the professional side. However, the media that has been probing for deaths in boxing have gone looking for their stories at ALL levels of the sport, all over the world to try and rake up some mud.
In the last 3 years I can name 5 players of rugby league that will NEVER play the game again, and I haven't even got onto to Rugby Union yet. Now there are definately some people in wheelchairs due to that game.
Also, in boxing and kickboxing, in NSW anyway, you can't fight again for a month after you've been knocked out. But has the media looked at the fact that last year a guy was knocked out playing the game in two consecutive weeks playing rugby league? Even in the latest state of origin, P.J.Marsh was knocked out, concussed, taken off the field and allowed to go back out there and was then cleaned up a second time!
Also, there are soooo many people out there that think that Mohamed Ali has Parkinsons disease because he boxed. Parkinsons is a DISEASE, it's not a result of being hit in the head. I know plenty of people who have this insidious disease and they've never boxed!
My own brother-in-law died in the shower as a result of a burst anyuerism on the brain. Now, had he have been a kickboxer or a boxer and died in the ring or after a fight, then no matter which way you look at it,his death would have been attributed to being hit in the head. Had it have happened on the squash court, then that too could have been a possible blame as the cause of his death. Fact is, IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. He had no idea, no warning and no second chance.
I heard that there are now mandatory MRI's that have to be performed as a result of the two deaths I mentioned earlier. This is definately a step in the right direction. Sure, some people can't afford the costs but perhaps they can't afford NOT to have it if they are going to fight. It may well stop another death in the ring and prevent the sport being wrongfully accused as the cause and may even identify a pre-existing condition that may ultimately prolong their life to enjoy their family.
There will be blood, sweat, spit and snot in this sport. It's a fact. It may not appeal to all and the do-gooders will do their best to call for its ban. Those who participate know the risk. They want to do it and it's their right to do it. Any death in any sport is truely unjust. People don't want to die, but life itself is a risk.

[sooty]

Cheers Slyman,
Geeez mate this topic really has you pissed! But i would have to totally agree with you. It seems that the Aussie Media is very selective in what they average aussie is told with regards to Injuries etc. Pathetic really!

Cheers
Mark

[paul c]

I think an MRI is probably pushing it. It would be good, but ufortunately probably out of the question. I doubt the promoters would want to pick up the tab either. But since the doctor is allready there perhaps a more comprehensive check up is possible post fight.

There has definitely been 5 deaths at least in the past two years. Each pretty much noted and discussed on the AX board. One of the Thai fighters Tarik bought out late last year also died at the beginning of this year, and we talked about an English champion who recently died fighting in the States. I don't have any interest in comparing deaths between sports, I'm sure your right, but I don't think it's going to help our atheletes any. I know some are lobbying to ban Boxing, but that will never happen. My oppinion is they don't have a hope as the sport is accepted by such a large part of the population. But at the same time, I would like to see more comprehensive measures protecting these atheletes whom many times are just too brave for their own good.
Yes, they knew the risks, but it doesn't do their family and friends any good when they're gone. They'll still suffer regardless.

[alex]

life is all about having the right to choose what path we take and how we do it. People die, it is inevitable. How we die is often blown out of proportion by the media. Everyone involded in this debate does not need to be told about the stats from other sports.
How can boxing be so bad if the athlete of the centuary is in fact Ali?
Why should boxers be denied the right to fight. Sport is about being the best,striving for excllence and improving ourselves as humanbeings. If this right was taken from us, why not any other sport?