Post-Fight Brawl Halts Turkish Boxing Championship
A professional boxing match for the Universal Boxing Organization world championship in Trabzon, Turkey, ended in chaos on Saturday when a post-fight brawl involving fighters' teams and spectators forced officials to halt the event prematurely.
The bout at Besirli Sports Hall pitted undefeated Turkish light heavyweight Emirhan Kalkan, 24, against Russian veteran Sergei Gorokhov, 36. Gorokhov secured a stoppage victory over Kalkan in the second round with two knockdowns, according to multiple witness accounts and video footage. As Gorokhov celebrated with his corner team and approached Kalkan's side in an apparent gesture of sportsmanship, a member of Kalkan's entourage pushed him away, sparking a verbal exchange that quickly escalated into physical confrontations between the two camps.
The altercation rapidly drew in dozens of ringside fans, primarily from the home crowd supporting Kalkan, who stormed the ring. Videos captured by attendees showed participants trading punches and kicks, with plastic chairs thrown into the fray. Gorokhov, still wearing his gloves, pleaded for the violence to stop before being overwhelmed by the mob and knocked to the canvas, where he was struck...