A boxer died after collapsing in his first professional fight as heartfelt tributes poured in.
Middleweight Sherif Lawal lost consciousness during his fight against Portuguese opponent Malam Varela at the Harrow Leisure Center in London yesterday after being hit in the temple.
Referee Lee Every started counting the knockouts, but immediately ended the game when he realized the extent of the 28-year-old’s condition on the screen.
Sherif, from Islington, was treated in the ring by doctors before being rushed to nearby Northwick Park Hospital.
But he was tragically pronounced dead later, despite doctors’ best efforts.
Doctors arrived and worked on him in the ring for about 20 minutes, including CPR and using a defibrillator. This was in front of a packed house and everyone was in complete shock
Eyewitness
One witness said: “It’s incredibly sad. This was his professional debut – he died while pursuing his dream.
“His fight was the first on the card, but the event was canceled and the remaining three fights canceled after Sherif was taken to hospital.
“He got hurt at the end of the third round. He then came out for the fourth and final round with his guard up and turned a right to the temple.
“He fell to his haunches and the referee started to count to ten – but then he stopped and waved because he realized Sherif was in a bad way.
“Doctors arrived and worked on him in the ring for about 20 minutes, including CPR and using a defibrillator.
“This was in front of a packed house and everyone was in complete shock.
“Sherif was then taken away on a stretcher before news reached him that he had passed away.
“This is very rare. Every care is taken to ensure the safety of the fighters, but in a sport like boxing these things happen occasionally. However, that doesn’t make it any less devastating.”
‘A TRUE INSPIRATION’
Heartfelt tributes have poured in since the tragic news of Sherif’s death.
Costakis Evangelou, the promoter of the Clash of the Titans event, told The Sun: “This was a tragic incident and my deepest condolences go out to Sherif’s family.
“It is a difficult time for everyone involved in the boxing fraternity and we are trying to absorb what has happened. Nobody wants to see something like that in any sport.
“Sherif was a great boxer and man. It is now in the hands of the Council and they will evaluate the incident.”
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, fellow boxer Denzel Bentley posted a ‘broken heart’ emoji and wrote: “Went to a boxing show last night and a young man making his debut lost his life.”
Among the responses was YouTube fight channel The P4P Boxing Show, which wrote: “RIP Sherif Lawal.”
Sherif has been boxing since 2018. He ended his amateur career and announced he would turn professional earlier this year.
At the time, coach CJ Hussein, who also trained Tyson Fury’s 2009 opponent John McDermott, said: “I think the professional game will suit Sherif, he has all the talent to become a great middleweight.
“He is a true inspiration to all the younger boxers in the gym.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said they were not called to the scene about the incident.
The British Boxing Board of Control and the London Ambulance Service have been contacted for comment.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
