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<h3><a href="/go=news.detail&gid=436636" target="_blank">
Fighter dies in Michigan in unregulated bout
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<p>Michigan currently regulates professional MMA, but not amateur. Given that there are far, far more amateur than professional fights, and that amateurs, being amateur, are more vulnerable to unscrupulous promoters, the need for regulation at all levels is pressing.</p>
Nowhere have there been a greater number of reports of problems with amateur fights than in Michigan. In fact, the State of Michigan has so egregiously failed to adequately regulate amateur Mixed Martial Arts that the Association of Boxing Commissions last year took the unprecedented step of asking the member commissions to bar amateur Michigan fighters, or those who have recently competed in Michigan.
Last month a Michigan state house committee held a meeting to address the regulation of amateur fighters. A similar bill passed the state house in the last legislative session, but died in the state senate.
For years there have been warnings that the woeful state of regulation was jeopardising the health and safety of fighters.
And now one of them has died. MM-EH.ca has the story.
TheTimesHerald.com is reporting that a Canadian man died after competing in a mixed martial arts event in Port Huron, Michigan on Saturday.
The man's identity is being withheld pending notification of his family, but he was 35-years-old and of Nigerian descent.
According to the report, the fight had finished with the Canadian having lost a 3-round decision.
“After the decision, the man told a trainer that he wasn’t feeling well and later collapsed. A paramedic at the American Legion administered aid before emergency crews arrived.”
The event was put on by the Amateur Fighting Club, who posted the following statement on their Facebook page.
“Last night’s event, April 6th, we lost a member of our MMA family and we would like to take this time to honor him. This is a tragic turn of events. We will keep his family and friends in our prayers and we ask you to do the same. May God be with them in this devastating time of loss. To us, this tragedy will not end today. He will remain in our hearts and on our minds. Further information will be posted at a later time.”
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