Heavyweight boxer Aguilera accused of FAKING injury in bizarre finish on Alvarez-Saunders card (VIDEO)
Heavyweight boxer Nagy Aguilera was booed by 73,000 fans and accused of committing one of the ultimate sins in the sport by apparently faking an injury to get out of his fight against Canelo Alvarez stablemate Frank Sanchez.
On the undercard of the Cinco de Mayo sell-out at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium in Arlington, Texas – which was headlined by Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders while breaking the record for the biggest ever indoor attendance at a US boxing show – unbeaten Sanchez started in dominant fashion.
Sharing Alvarez's trainer Eddie Reynoso from their San Diego gym, big things are expected of the Cuban who has held the WBO-NABO heavyweight crown since 2019 and got into a heated exchange with WBC ruler Tyson Fury on Friday.
As Fury showed support to his fellow Traveler Billy Joe Saunders – stripped of his WBO supermiddleweight strap after his camp threw in the towel before the ninth round last night – at the official weigh in, Sanchez reportedly demanded "Hey! Fight me next".
Sergio Mora promoting the Frank Sanchez fight on the DAZN undercard: "I see Sanchez talking to Tyson Fury over here...but first he needs to take care of this gatekeeper, this journeyman tomorrow night!". What great promotion for the undercard. #BOXING#CaneloSaunderspic.twitter.com/BZR8a1IHEh
— Fight Ghost (@Fight_Ghost) May 7, 2021
Fury replied "F*ck you", but if Sanchez wants to challenge the 'Gypsy King' or the winner of his potential blockbuster clash with Anthony Joshua any time soon, he needs to matched against tougher competition moving forward.
DAZN pundit Sergio Mora had hardly talked up the bout by describing Aguilera as both a "gatekeeper" and "journeyman".
But although he weathered the initial storm from Sanchez, Aguilera didn't fail to live up to such billing with his bizarre exit from the action once he'd had enough.
After a punch from Sanchez landed on the side and back of his opponent's head and shoulder, the Dominican tried to call foul play by collapsing on the ropes then falling into a heap on the canvas.
As Aguilera writhed around on the floor in supposed agony for a couple of minutes, the judges eventually called the contest a win for Sanchez by a unanimous technical decision as he led 60-54 on all three cards.
REPLAY 🎥🔴Was this punch by Frank Sanchez behind the head? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/BTLafDijRN
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 9, 2021
But Aguilera faced a far more scathing court as replays were shown on the big screen at the huge NFL ground.
Seeing his playacting in all its glory, they booed him to high Heaven as DAZN punditry's team questioned how genuine the 6ft 4 giant's reaction was.
Boxing punters online were no less forgiving, demanding that Aguilera should be given "an Oscar for that performance".
give him an oscar for that performance
— x - ryan 🌘 (@OTCeIIy) May 9, 2021
Pulled a neymar jr pic.twitter.com/r5fIIQpCtn
— Jesus Rivera (@Grayfox_1216) May 9, 2021
Lol.. yeah if he says so.. dude got stopped because of a possible injury to his shoulder but wanted to get a DQ win and act like he got hit behind his head.. maybe he does have a shoulder injury but that’s about it
— Gains (@vinnyshot23) May 9, 2021
"An Oscar for the worst actor ever," came one reply.
"[He] hit his shoulder and rubbed his neck with his wrist...that was a serious dive to hide what looks like a shoulder injury. No foul. Full stop," said another, more specific of the incident.
"[Aguilera] pulled a Neymar Jr," quipped a football fan, in reference to the Brazil star mocked at the 2018 World Cup for his simulation.
As Sanchez improved to 18-0, the now 21-11 Aguilera might never be trusted again on a big show.
Also on rt.com ‘Don’t tell me he stopped because of his eye’: Women’s star Bridges weighs in as Saunders quits in brutal title defeat to Canelo