'I begin to hate this sport of beating each other': Khabib speaks on death of boxer Dadashev
UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has said the tragic death of boxer Maxim Dadashev, a fellow Russian who died of injuries suffered in a recent fight, makes him "begin to hate" combat sports.
St. Petersburg-born Dadashev suffered a subdural hematoma - a bleed to the brain - after his 11th-round TKO loss to Subriel Matias in Maryland, USA, on Friday. Upon leaving the ring, Dadashev lost conciousness, was later placed into a medically-induced coma and underwent a two-hour surgery to relieve swelling.
Also on rt.com Maxim Dadashev's tragic death should be accepted as boxing's cruel realityAfter showing signs of "severe brain damage", he passed away on Tuesday at the local UM Prince George's Hospital Center from heart failure, a result of his injuries.
The boxing world and wider combat sports fraternity has since entered a period of mourning, and friends and fellow fighters have paid tribute to their fallen hero. Among those was Khabib, who posted a sombre and pensive text on Instagram to express his condolences.
"This incident proves to us yet again, that there are more important things than sport. Every time I see or hear such news I begin to hate this sport of beating each other," Khabib wrote in Russian.
"Nothing is permanent, glory, money, titles, our entire lives, we will all exit this world, no one will stay forever. It is worth pondering. Strength to Maxim’s loved ones. Do good things and may God reward us for our deeds and actions in the next life, and forgive us our sins."
The two fighters are tied by their trade and also heritage; Khabib is a native of Russia's Southern Republic of Dagestan in the North Caucasus region, from where Dadashev's ethnic Lezgin ancestors originate.
