In the fall of 2013, boxer Magomed Abdusalamov miraculously escaped death due to an injury received in the ring. His wife Bakanai Abdusalamova told Roman Moon how she raised her husband to his feet.
Magomed Abdusalamov became famous in 2005, becoming the Russian heavyweight champion in the amateur ring. Not making it to the Olympics in Beijing, he turned professional. Over the next five years, the boxer had 17 fights and won all of them ahead of schedule. He fought very spectacularly, often taking risks and completely forgetting about defense.
At the beginning of 2013, Magomed rose to fourth place in the WBC rankings and began to be considered as a contender for a fight against world champion Vitali Klitschko. His new opponent was Cuban Mike Perez.
In the fight with Perez, Abdusalamov suffered his first defeat in the professional ring. Magomed received fractures of his left arm, nose, facial bone and a traumatic brain injury, which resulted in brain swelling and a blood clot. A few hours later, Abdusalamov was put into an induced coma. A few days later he suffered a stroke. It was reported that the boxer has almost no chance of survival, but he is alive and has already begun to speak.
Magomed Abdusalamov and his family live and recover in the USA. His treatment costs 20-30 thousand dollars a month, he was helped by promoter Andrei Ryabinsky, boxers Sergei Kovalev, Ruslan Provodnikov and others. Roman Moon called Bakanai Abdusalamova in New York and found out how her husband was returning to life.
“I immediately realized that something had gone wrong. I know my Maga. He doesn’t sit down after a round when he feels good, he was even interviewed about it. And then he immediately sat down. At the same time, his face was shown - his eyes looked somehow lost. In general, everything was wrong that day. My 10-month-old daughter was crying and being capricious. They say that children feel everything.
Even in a regular job, you don’t know what will happen tomorrow. You can go out into the street and get hit by a car. But, of course, I was afraid for him. Once, when he was knocked down, I thought: “That’s it, let’s quit boxing. We don't need boxing anymore." I was in a position then, I cried a lot. But he would still have stayed boxing. His goal was to become a world champion. He had fans, everything was for their sake. He said he couldn't let them down.
He seemed to be doing well. I constantly asked him after fights: “Does your head hurt?” He said: nothing hurts, everything is fine. If I had known that this would happen to him, I would have locked him in a cave.
But I can’t say anything about this. Everything is done only through a lawyer.
I remember when he was in intensive care, we were not allowed to do anything, not even touch him. He was all swollen. There is ice all around, a blanket of ice underneath, and the ice itself. This was all necessary because his temperature rose after the operation.
I looked at him and didn’t believe that this was my Maga. Everything was like a dream. So many tubes, so many IVs on it. I didn’t understand how this could happen to my strong and handsome Magomed. I went to see him at the hospital along the highway, which he had not allowed me to go on before. But I had to. An hour there, an hour back.
Two months later we were transferred to a rehabilitation center. There were fewer tubes, but he still didn't move. I remember what the room was like: he was lying there and three others. She showed him different colored papers and said: look at the red, the yellow, the green. I wanted to understand whether he was thinking, because the doctor said: he can’t think now, he has damage to the place that is responsible for thinking. I ask Magomed: what is two plus two? Three plus one? He answers, moves his fingers, barely, but shows. I show him to the doctor and say: “See, you said that he can’t think.” The doctor is surprised: “I can’t say anything.”
He had difficulty opening his eyes. I opened one, but the second one does not open. As it turned out, he had fluid in his brain and head. When he opened his eyes, it was, of course, joy. The first time he quietly said something to me, I danced around his bed with joy. He looks at me and seems to show me: what’s wrong with you, are you crazy or what?
It seems that we were discharged in September 2014, I took him home. Then it turned out that in the first hospital where he was in intensive care, they developed bedsores on his tailbone. They treated me for a long time, then in November they had surgery. There was an infection inside – we spent another two months in the hospital. We have already been told that he almost has sepsis in his blood. I almost had a heart attack myself. Then she told him at home: “That’s it, Maga, that’s enough already.”
In November-December last year he became worse. The good thing is that when you call 911, they arrive in one minute. His blood pressure dropped, there was some kind of infection, he was in the intensive care unit, he was just fine. I sat, sobbed and thought: “We pulled you out, why again?” But we got through that too.
Now the children are on holiday from school, and my day usually starts at seven. I send the children to school with breakfast, then I start feeding him, washing him and shaving him. As a deputy of the People's Assembly, I have to have him shaved every day. I dress him, then the procedures, then to the rehabilitation center. There he works out, gets tired after about an hour, and goes home for lunch.
At 4 o'clock we have medicine. When the weather is good outside, we go out with the children to the park for a walk. I turn on the music, the children dance, he smiles, he likes to look at the children. In the evening, dinner and sleep.
At night I set alarms because I need to turn him every two to three hours to prevent bedsores from forming.
We live in the house of Magomed’s friend, Amin Suleymanov. He helps me lift Magomed out of bed and put him in the bathroom. He put him in the car in his arms and helped take him to the rehabilitation center. The nurse comes sometimes, but I couldn’t cope without his help. I couldn’t really speak English then either.
Right now Magomed is lying on the sofa in the living room, the children are lying on another sofa and watching a film. He can already hug and smile. But he has Right side the body does not work at all: neither arm nor leg. Even when he smiles, it is only on one side. Left-hand side works, but he cannot, for example, get up on his own. He can’t even sit on his own yet, I hold him. When we talk, he speaks very quietly. People around me don’t hear him, but I understand him, I’m used to it. We started eating quite recently, and before that he had a tube in his stomach, and they poured liquid food into it. He couldn't drink either.
I remember how I dreamed that he would open his eyes and move his finger. He couldn’t do anything then, but now he’s conscious, I’m constantly whispering something to him, the children are running around him, he’s smiling. For his situation, this is already great progress. The hardest part is, of course, behind us. But there is a lot of work ahead. I want him to get up and walk.
In America, when he was first admitted to the hospital, we ran after the doctors, asked what would happen, but they couldn’t even say whether he would live. They didn't want to take responsibility. Only one doctor said: “Be patient, wait, he is young and strong.” He was also unsure, but at least he supported us a little. Another doctor recently told me: “To be honest, he won’t walk.” I say: “Let’s remember that he shouldn’t have lived.”
The other day I asked another doctor: “When do you think he will move?” He says, “Let me show you a picture of his brain.” Showed that he was damaged left side, there is a gap where the brain died, there is liquid. There is another zone, everything is dark there, the doctor said: “Let’s hope that it will brighten up and something will change.” I say: “Let's look not at the picture, but at him. A month ago and now – do you see the difference?” Doctor: “Yes, I see a difference, he looks better.” I say: “Then turn off your picture. Let's look at it."
Photo: Gettyimages.ru /Al Bello (1); personal archive of Bakanai Abdusalamova
Magomed Abdusalamov is a Russian athlete, boxer, who competed in the super heavyweight category from September 2008 to November 2013. After a fight with Cuban Mike Perez, he was injured with a hematoma in the brain and underwent surgery. On November 6, Magomed Abdusalamov officially ended his professional career.
Biography
In 1998 he graduated from school No. 9 in Makhachkala.
From 1999 to 2004 he practiced Thai boxing under the leadership of Zainalbek Zainalbekov.
In 2004 he graduated from the Makhachkala branch of the Moscow Automobile and Road Institute.
Since 2008, M. Abdusalamov has lived in the USA, in the city of Hallandale, Florida.
Boxing career
In 2004, he began boxing under the guidance of coach Evgeniy Kotov.
In 2005 and 2006, Magomed Abdusalamov became the Russian amateur heavyweight champion.
In 2008, M. Abdusalamov took part in the qualifying competitions for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but was unable to qualify.
In 2008, Magomed Abdusalamov made his first appearance in the professional ring in the heavy weight category. He fought his first fight as a professional on September 6, 2008, defeating Epiphanie Pipi from Ghana by knockout in the first round.
From September 2008 to April 2013, he fought eighteen fights and won all by knockout. He won his first 8 fights by knockout in the first round. He also won the next 10 fights by knockout in the early rounds.
On July 6, 2012, he won the US WBC (USNBC) Silver title. On March 8, 2013 he defended this title.
As of November 1, 2013, Magomed Abdusalamov was ranked fourth in the World Boxing Council (WBC) rankings.
On November 2, 2013, M. Abdusalamov lost on points to Cuban Mike Perez in a fight for the US heavyweight champion according to the World Boxing Council (WBC). The fight took place in New York at Madison Square Garden. This defeat was the first and only one in his career.
After the fight, the Russian boxer was diagnosed with a fracture of his left hand and nose, a cut above his left eye and a jaw injury. Also, during the examination, the athlete was found to have a blood clot in his brain. The athlete was put into an artificial coma and operated on.
On November 6, Nathan Levkovich, vice president of the Sampson Boxing promotion company, announced that Magomed Abdusalamov had completed his professional career and would no longer enter the ring.
On December 7, 2013, Magomed Abdusalamov came out of a coma, and on December 10, doctors transferred the boxer from the intensive care unit to a regular ward.
On December 21, 2013, an action was held at which for the treatment of Magomed Abdusalamov managed to collect about 600 thousand rubles . Part of the necessary funds and two months of rehabilitation were paid for by businessman, vice-president of the Russian Professional Boxing Federation Andrei Ryabinsky.
In February 2014, the wife of Magomed Abdusalamov filed a lawsuit for $100 million against the authorities. American state New York and the leadership of the New York State Athletic Commission. The family of the 32-year-old boxer has accused medical workers of negligence and unprofessionalism.
According to Abdusalamov’s family, it was the sluggishness of the fight organizers and doctors that led to irreversible brain damage to the athlete, who ended up in the hospital as a result of an injury received in the ring. The lawsuit also states that if the fight had been stopped in a timely manner, the injuries could have been avoided.
Family status
Magomed Abdusalamov is married to Bakanai Abdusalamov. Their family has three children.
Sources:
- Magomed Abdusalamov is the hope of Russian boxing. Curriculum Vitae(video). - Website of the newspaper "Soviet Sport", November 4, 2013.
- Russian boxer Magomed Abdusalamov remains in an induced coma for eight days. - ITAR-TASS, 11.11.2013
- Abdusalamov - McCline - on the undercard Klitschko - Charr. Press portrait of Abdusalamov. - Championship.com, 08/13/2012
- Biography of boxer Magomed Abdusalamov. - RIA Novosti, November 4, 2013
- Russian professional boxer Magomed Abdusalamov suffered his first defeat. - ITAR-TASS, November 3, 2013
- "Vesti" online newspaper" - "Boxing. Abdusalamov’s family filed a lawsuit for 100 million,” 02/23/2014
Today a message came from New York that Russian boxer Magomed Abdusalamov may remain in a coma forever. On Sunday, in a protracted 10-round fight with Cuban Mike Perez, he... There is definitely no question of continuing the sports career of Abdusalamov, who was considered one of the most promising Russian heavyweights. Now the doctors’ task is to try to bring the boxer back to life.
Magomed Abdusalamov met the referee’s decision, which was offensive for any boxer, that he was awarded the first defeat in his professional career while standing inside the ring at Madison Square Garden. The Russian, who could barely stand on his feet, spent the rest of his strength congratulating his opponent, Cuban Mike Perez. To those who watched, it seemed annoying, but not fatal. In the end, Perez is the most serious opponent of Abdusalamov’s entire career. It’s rare to get by without bruises and fractures in boxing, and both heavyweights managed to give active boxing, which is rare in this weight category.
In the tenth round, the Cuban delivered a devastating right cross. What happened next was not captured by worldwide broadcasts. Immediately after the fight, Abdusalamov was taken to the hospital. Doctors at the Roosevelt Center recorded fractures of the nose and left arm, a severe cut above the left eye, and injuries to the maxillofacial apparatus. A few hours later, Abdusalamov became worse. He complained about the strong headache and dizziness. Surgeons decided to put the boxer into an induced coma.
At this moment, the opponent in the ring responded with words of support. "My thoughts and prayers are with Mago now. I hope he gets better soon. He fought like a real warrior. I was happy to win, but now I only care about his health," Perez said.
Sports publications continued to report hope, almost even when news broke that Abdusalamov had had part of his skull removed. “The worst is over,” the press reported, citing the boxer’s agent. Myself . But today shocking news came from him. Abdusalamov has a stroke. He is still in a coma and whether he will ever come out of it is unclear. "Magomed has retired. We, the boxing family, cannot turn our backs on those brave people who play this sport at a time when they need us most. And we are going to do everything possible to get him back on his feet. Magomed is more will not box, but he is a good and brave man, he has great family. Every dollar will help,” Levkovich said.
At 32 years old, Abdusalamov won 18 victories in the professional ring (all by knockout). A victory over Perez opened his way to the World Cup. If Abdusalamov had won, he could have competed for the title with Vitali Klitschko. World boxing has already expressed support for the Russian and sympathy for his family. It was decided to raise the money much needed for treatment through a hastily created fund.
Not so long ago, he was considered one of the main hopes of domestic professional boxing in the most prestigious royal weight category of the heavyweight division. However, the career of this very physically gifted and promising fighter was cut short at the very peak, when he was already a couple of steps away from the fight for the world title. In November 2013, at the Madison Square Garden theater in New York, a native of the capital of Dagestan, Makhachkala, fought in the ring with the hitherto unbeaten Cuban boxer Mike Perez.
The fight took place on a collision course; the opponents often met in open combat. Based on the results of the 10 rounds allotted by the regulations, Perez was declared the winner by unanimous decision of the judges. And just a few hours later, the defeat in the ring almost turned into a tragedy. Only Magomed’s remarkable health and the qualifications of the doctors saved his life. Abdusalamov managed to escape from the clutches of death, but remained disabled, unable to move independently.
Magomed was born on March 25, 1981. His father Magomedgadzha was a very strong man by nature, who was fond of martial arts and became a master of sports of the USSR in freestyle wrestling. It was he who instilled a love for sports in his son. Influenced by Asian martial arts films that were then fashionable among teenagers, young Maga tried many types of martial arts. At the age of 12, he began training in kickboxing, Thai boxing and other oriental disciplines. He became the champion of Russia and a finalist in the World Championship. Abdusalamov switched to boxing when he was already 22 years old, because he suffered a knee injury while practicing Muay Thai. He hoped to improve his hand function while his leg remained injured, but he remained in boxing.
Magomed’s first coach was Gadzhimurad Gaziev, with whom Abdusalamov became so close that he called his mentor his elder brother. Later, his Muay Thai coach was Zainalbek Zainalbekov. Magomed’s first mentor in pure boxing was Evgeniy Kotov. Abdusalamov failed to fully prove himself in amateur boxing. His trump cards were power, physical strength and a knockout blow. However, Magomed lacked technical, especially defensive skills precisely because he came to boxing late. Nevertheless, he managed to win the Russian championship among adults in the heavyweight division twice (in 2005 and 2006).
Abdusalamov had a chance to perform at Olympic Games 2008, but, representing Belarus, lost to the British David Price in the qualifying tournament. In total, Magomed has about 50 official fights in the amateur ring. Moreover, as Abdusalamov himself said, at least 95% of his amateur victories were won ahead of schedule. In September 2008, his professional boxing career began. At first it was led by the famous Russian promoter Yuri Fedorov. Then the American Leon Margules and his “stable” Seminole Warriors Boxing became co-promoter of Magomed. Later, sponsors from Azerbaijan provided financial support to Abdusalamov.
Magomed boxed in Russia and in the USA. Over time, he moved his family - his wife and daughters - to Florida. Abdusalamov finished his first eight pro fights with early victories in the first round. The following opponents held their own against the Dagestani left-hander, who did not stand out for his elegant and refined technique, but was distinguished by his enormous power and lethal striking power, for not much longer. However, in many fights it was noticeable that Abdusalamov often neglected defense, acted too openly, and sometimes even recklessly. Magomed himself then said that in this way he was trying to lure his rivals into a trap. They say that in order to lure them out of their tight defense, you sometimes need to open up yourself, inviting your opponents to attack. But such tactics were fraught with danger.
And so on November 2, 2011, two hitherto unbeaten heavyweight prospects met in the ring - 32-year-old and 28-year-old Cuban Mike Perez. Bookmakers, which is quite rare, considered the chances of both opponents to win to be almost equal. The fight started without any build-up; from the first round the boxers rushed into a quick exchange of blows, in which, thanks to the best technology and coordination, the Cuban was more successful. But not only did Magomed fail to immediately suppress his opponent’s initiative in his characteristic style, but in this opening three-minute period one of Perez’s blows also broke his left cheekbone (the facial bone under the eye), which immediately began to swell.
However, in the second round, due to greater activity, Abdusalamov looked better than his opponent. And in the next few three-minute periods, the initiative passed from one to another. But after the equator of the fight, Abdusalamov’s face began to swell more and more, a cut formed above the same left eye, but most importantly, he began to get tired and slow down considerably. Perez turned out to be a strong guy and even the frankly missed series of blows did not bother him. The Cuban continued to rush forward, although he was good at working from long range. In the ninth round, the referee deducted one point from Perez for a low blow. However, this did not prevent the Cuban from bringing the fight to victory on points by unanimous decision of the judges - 95-94, 97-92, 97-92.
A few hours after the end of the battle, the situation began to develop dramatically. Seriously injured, Abdusalamov began to complain of a severe headache and was hospitalized with a diagnosis of cerebral hemorrhage at Roosevelt Medical Center in New York. Doctors urgently performed a craniotomy on Magomed and put him into an artificial coma in order to avoid possible brain damage from the formation of a blood clot. However, four days later Abdusalamov suffered a stroke. Doctors were forced to perform surgery to remove a blood clot from the brain, and also removed part of the skull to reduce the swelling.
A little later it became known that Magomed’s family did not have the money to cover the huge bills for his treatment and hospital stay. And here patrons from the boxing world came to the rescue, including some current and former boxers. 20 days after the ill-fated battle, Abdusalamov was briefly brought out of an induced coma. But only on December 6, that is, more than a month later, Magomed finally emerged from his comatose state and began to breathe on his own. And four days later he was transferred from intensive care to a regular ward.
In 2014, Abdusalamov, who had lost a lot of weight, was moved to a rehabilitation center, where a long period of recovery began. We must pay tribute to Magomed’s wife, Bakanai Abdusalamova, who all this time has been faithfully caring for her husband, who has lost the ability to move independently, and is making titanic efforts for his successful rehabilitation. However, the brain damage turned out to be so serious that the boxer’s recovery process could take many years. Last summer, Magomed began talking quietly with his family. Unfortunately, doctors say the right side of his body will remain paralyzed forever. However, Bakanay believes that one day her husband will get back on his feet, walk independently and lead a more or less full life.
The editors of “Championship” congratulate Magomed on his birthday and wish him a speedy recovery!
Sport has given the world many talented, outstanding personalities. These are people with amazing will, fortitude and an irresistible desire to win. And Abdusalamov Magomed is one of them. About him life path, achievements, victories and defeats will be discussed in the article.
The beginning of the journey and first achievements
Dagestan boxer Magomed Abdusalamov was born in 1981, on March 25, in Makhachkala. He graduated from the school and branch there. In 1999, he began to learn the basics of Thai boxing under the guidance of mentor and coach Zainalbek Zainalbekov. In 2004, Abdusalamov Magomed began his boxing career and very soon made it clear to everyone around him that he was capable of much.
For two years in a row (2005-2006), the athlete was awarded the title of Russian heavyweight champion.
Professional career
In September 2008, the boxer made his first appearance in the professional ring. Abdusalamov Magomed stood out among other athletes with his ability to hit his opponent in the early rounds. The first eight fights were not very interesting for the viewer: Magomed knocked out his opponents in the first round. Among those defeated in subsequent battles were:
- Rich Power (defeated in round 3);
- Pedro Rodriguez;
- Jason Pettaway (submitted in the 4th round);
- Maurice Byrom (the 3rd round was fatal for him).
Fight with Jamil McCline
In September 2012, in Moscow, Magomed Abdusalamov met in a duel with the famous American boxer Jamil McCline. During this fight, for the first time in his sports career, the Dagestani was knocked down.
From the first minute it was difficult not to notice that McCline had come to win. In the first minute, he knocked down Abdusalamov. But he recovered and continued the fight with great zeal.
At the end of the second round, the boxer sent his American opponent into a heavy knockdown with a straight right blow. Although McCline stood at the count of 10, the referee, looking at his exhausted appearance, decided to stop the fight.
It is interesting that Magomed entered the ring that day with an injury - he had a broken rib.
Victor Bisbal is a worthy opponent
In 2013, in March, the already famous and titled boxer Magomed Abdusalamov fought with an athlete from Puerto Rico. The forecasts were on the side of the Dagestani. Despite this, Victor Bisbal kept Magomed in suspense for the first two rounds. He won by a clear margin. This was the first boxer to make Abdusalamov nervous for two whole rounds.
The course of the fight changed during the third and fourth rounds, in the fifth Bisbal was knocked out.
Fatal fight with Mike Perez
In November 2013, two strongest boxers met in the ring - Cuban Mike Perez and Dagestani Magomed Abdusalamov. What happened after this fight that the eminent athlete, whose biography we are studying today, was forced to end his professional career?
At the beginning of the fight, the spectators held their breath. Both athletes were extremely active. And the first five rounds their strength was equal. Only in the 6th three-minute period did Perez begin to act more successfully. In the 10th round, Abdusalamov could barely stand on his feet, but still managed to reach the gong. At the end of the fight, the judges declared Kuban Mike Perez the winner. This was Abdusalamov's first serious defeat.
A few hours after the fight, Magomed began to complain of malaise - headache and dizziness. To avoid complications, it was decided to put the athlete into a state
Medical conclusion
On November 6, it became known that the boxer suffered a stroke. IN medical center in New York, he had a blood clot removed from his brain and part of his skull.
Magomed was in a coma for more than two weeks and was only able to come out of it on November 22. But after a few hours, doctors were forced to put him back on life support. Only on December 6, the athlete was able to breathe on his own. On December 10, he was transferred to a regular ward from the intensive care unit.
Financial difficulties
It is known that the family of the boxer, who earned more than 40 thousand dollars for his last fight, was faced with incredible bills for treatment. The promoters created a special fund to raise funds and donations for Magomed’s treatment.
Not only his family, friends and fans helped Abdusalamov. The desire to help the boxer was personally expressed by his colleagues - Ruslan Provodnikov, the Klitschko brothers, Sergio Martinez, Sergey Kovalev, the Russian world boxing champion, in August 2014, put up for auction his boxing shorts, tapes and gloves, in which he defeated Blake Caparello, and the proceeds sent funds to Abdusalamov’s family.
Life goes on
Magomed Abdusalamov's condition is currently satisfactory; he has been able to speak since June 2015, but, unfortunately, the right side of his body still remains paralyzed.
He was and will forever remain a true champion who never gives up!