In one of the most disturbing videos to leak out across the web in recent times, a 17-year-old Indonesian professional boxer died of a brain hemorrhage after absorbing a series of punches to the head during a bout on Sunday. Before you continue any further, please beware that some may find the following video disturbing given the eventual outcome.
As reported by the Bangkok Post, and featured in the video above, Tubagus Sakti, a teenage professional boxer, was hit in the face multiple times after holding up his hands in an attempt to surrender the bout in the eighth round. His opponent for the KTPI junior flyweight title, Ical Tobida, continued charging toward Sakti despite his hands being in a defenseless position and landed four shots to Sakti’s head before the match referee could intervene and stop the bout.
After the fight was stopped, Sakti walked toward his corner, but before he could get there he began developing convulsions. The teenager then collapsed and was treated in the ring while lying flat on his back until he could be transported to a nearby hospital.
Unfortunately, no medical intervention could save Sakti, with the teenager pronounced dead of a brain hemorrhage after arriving at the hospital. The possibility of the teen’s death could clearly be read on the faces of the crowd, which watched on in stunned silence as Sakti was treated in the ring.
Naturally, the disturbing episode raises a handful of questions. None of those are more troubling than why a teenager was allowed to turn professional at the age of 15, as The Big Lead has reported.
These boxers were fighting without any of the headgear required for youth boxers in the U.S. They were fighting for a weight class title, albeit of a junior degree, and drawing a full crowd.
Clearly, that doesn’t feel right when viewed through the lens of American sports. Cultural differences aside, one would imagine that few would openly support the practice of teenage professional boxers after the horror of this episode in Indonesia.
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