Since Magomed Abdusalamov spent his first night in a coma after losing a heavyweight fight to Mike Perez at the Garden Theater on Nov. 2, the business of boxing has continued as always.
Manny Pacquiao beat Brandon Rios; Andre Ward stayed unbeaten; Paulie Malignaggi handled Zab Judah at Barclays Center; Adrien Broner got whipped by Marcos Maidana, and Abdusalamov’s trainer, John David Jackson, celebrated a victory in the corner of light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev.
Meanwhile, Perez is scheduled to face someone named Carlos Takam, on Jan. 18 at the Bell Centre in Montreal on the undercard of the light heavyweight battle between Canadians Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute.
As 2013 flows into 2014, the powers in the boxing industry are congratulating themselves on a memorable year. Showtime, headed by Stephen Espinoza, showcased the Golden Boy stable in several marquee bouts and signed Floyd Mayweather to a multi-fight deal. HBO countered by investing heavily in Andre Ward, and foreign boxers with appeal such as Adonis Stevenson of Canada, Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan, and Kovalev of Russia.
The boxing fan has actually benefited from the cold war between HBO and Golden Boy Promotions. Showtime is now seen as a legitimate rival, which has made HBO work harder to dispel that notion. Having Floyd Mayweather fight twice in one year, including his record-setting bout against Canelo Alvarez, also was a major boost for the sport.
But while the industry pats itself on the back, it must not forget Abdusalamov, who needs continued prayers and support. Earlier this week, the Russian heavyweight, who was on life-support for several weeks, was moved to a traumatic brain injury rehabilitation facility at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, N.Y. It’s where he’ll begin the long journey back from brain surgery and a stroke suffered after losing a 10-round slugfest to Perez.
The 32-year-old remains virtually bedridden and unable to speak, though his eyes can open and he responds to certain stimuli. His movements are limited to twitches in fingers and toes. His long-term prognosis is uncertain, and it could take up to 18 months before doctors get a better understanding of it.
“He was basically about to die,” said Nathan Lewkowicz, who been serving a duty he never anticipated as the primary spokesman for Abdusalamov’s medical condition. “So the fact that he’s still alive is a great step in the right direction.”
Abdusalamov’s nearly two-month stay at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan went without a single visit from anyone representing the New York State Athletic Commission, which was in charge of his safety the night he fought Perez.
“I don’t want to say anything negative about them, but they haven’t reached out to anybody,” Lewkowicz said.
The results of an investigation conducted by state officials into what transpired during and after the fight are expected early in 2014. What’s known is Abdusalamov repeatedly complained about his injuries to his corner yet was subsequently cleared during a post-fight examination by doctors assigned by the NYSAC. It was only when he began vomiting and complaining of a headache that he was rushed by taxi to Roosevelt, where he had surgery for a blood clot.
Perhaps nothing more could have been done to prevent the outcome. But the tragedy shouldn’t be brushed aside because Abdusalamov didn’t die. No good reason has been offered for why he wasn’t taken by ambulance to the hospital when his cheek was swollen like a grapefruit, his nose and hand were broken and he had cuts over both eyes.
Saying, “We did everything we were supposed to do,” as a NYSAC source told a reporter, doesn’t cut it. The year 2013 was a great year for boxing — except for the night of Nov. 2.
Year-end awards
Fighter of the Year: Mayweather, two mega-bouts including the record-setting dismantling of Alvarez.
Fight of the Year: Timothy Bradley’s 12-round decision over Ruslan Provodnikov, March 16; terrific slugfest.
Trainer of the Year: Despite his big mouth, Angel Garcia has done great work with his son “Champ of the World” Danny Garcia.