“I will always be with my husband.” The story of the wife of a Dagestan professional boxer who suddenly became disabled. Boxer Abdusalamov Magomed Magomedgadzhievich: biography, fights and interesting facts
MOSCOW, June 30. /Corr. TASS Igor Lazorin/. Russian boxer who suffered severe injuries and stroke, began to talk with loved ones. The athlete’s wife Bakanai reported this to TASS.
Abdusalamov on November 2, 2013, during a fight with Cuban Mike Perez, received a severe traumatic brain injury, as well as fractures of his arm and jaw. He was taken to hospital where he suffered a stroke. The boxer was placed in an artificial coma, in which he remained until December 10 of the same year. The athlete underwent craniotomy to remove blood clots, and his broken jaw was also operated on. Abdusalamov spent a certain period of time in a rehabilitation center. In mid-September the athlete was discharged home. Now he takes food on his own, but he still cannot move without help.
“He doesn’t really speak, but I understand him,” said the boxer’s wife. “He speaks quietly, but he tries to do it, although not everything is clear. I am his translator. In general, our youngest daughter is a great medicine for him. She tries to be close to him, hug him. He smiles when he sees her."
On at the moment Abdusalamov's right side of his body is completely paralyzed. "As long as it works for us left side, right - no. I'm slowly starting to give him regular food, although he usually eats everything from a blender. But he looks much better and fresher, and has gained a lot of weight. Maga tries to draw, writes our names. In general, we have made progress,” added the TASS interlocutor.
The wife of 34-year-old Abdusalamov also noted that doctors note progress in the athlete’s condition, but do not give encouraging prognoses.
“At the beginning, the doctors told us that he wouldn’t survive, he wouldn’t think,” noted the boxer’s wife. “But I proved them the opposite. He’s getting better. And the doctor said three months ago that he wouldn’t be able to walk. But we don’t think about it.” this, we believe in the best. His eyes are no longer as lost as before. I heard that Denis Boytsov (a Russian boxer who is recovering from serious injuries) was told that he will return to normal life and will walk. But if he can, that means. and we can do it!"
Immediately after the incident, world champions Sergei Kovalev, Ruslan Provodnikov, Sultan Ibragimov, Khabib Allahverdiev and Russian promoter Andrei Ryabinsky, who paid for part of the athlete’s treatment, expressed a desire to help Abdusalamov.
Treatment of Magomed Abdusalamov costs $20-30 thousand monthly
According to the athlete’s friend Amin Suleymanov, treatment and rehabilitation in the USA for Magomed Abdusalamov costs about $20-30 thousand a month.
“Now Maga and his family live with me,” said Suleymanov. “At first everyone helped, but now only I am left. While he was in a rehabilitation center, treatment cost $50 thousand a month. Now we take him from home, I spend my money to help Maga. In total, it costs between $20-30 thousand. There is city insurance, but it doesn’t cover everything.”
Suleymanov also said that Abdusalamov was happy when he saw the fight between Russian Alexander Povetkin and Mike Perez. Povetkin knocked out the Cuban in the first round at the end of May.
“I showed him the fight, he understands everything, recognizes people. He himself was sure that he would knock out Perez. But in the first round, Magi had a broken arm, and what could he do? Just survive... He watched Povetkin’s fight, especially there were no emotions, although he was a little happy,” the agency’s interlocutor said.
Abdusalamov had 19 fights in the professional ring, won 18 victories (all by knockout) and suffered one defeat. He received the World Boxing Council (WBC) champion medal.
Russian boxer Magomed Abdusalamov failed to defend the WBC heavyweight title
Fight Abdusalamov - Perez November 2. Result
Russian boxer Magomed Abdusalamov was unable to defend his WBC heavyweight title. In the fight, which took place in New York on the night from Saturday to Sunday, Moscow time, he lost to Mike Perez. Following the results of 10 rounds, the victory by unanimous decision of the judges was given to the Cuban (97:92, 95:94, 97:92). Thus, Adbusalamov suffered his first defeat in professional career. Before that, he had 18 fights and won all 18 by knockout.
Immediately after the fight, Abdusalamov was taken to the hospital for examination. An X-ray showed a fracture of the left arm in the area of the hand. The boxer felt a sharp pain in his left hand in the first round of the fight, and it was this injury that did not allow him to develop the advantage that he had in the fourth round of the fight, and also affected the design of the entire fight.
Video of the fight Magomed Abdusalamov - Mike Perez
News: Magomed Abdusalamov
Abdusalamov was put into an induced coma
Russian heavyweight Magomed Abdusalamov, on Sunday night defeated from Cuban Mike Perez, was put into an induced coma, BoxingScene.com reports. A few hours after the fight, the Russian's manager Boris Grinberg said that the Russian was feeling well, but then the boxer began to complain of headaches. Based on the results of the examination, doctors discovered a small blood clot in Abdusalamov’s brain and decided to put him into an artificial (induced) coma to avoid serious consequences.
Abdusalamov's condition remains stable
The condition of Russian heavyweight boxer Magomed Abdusalamov remains stable after surgery. Abdusalamov lost on points to Cuban Mike Perez on Saturday in New York, suffering the first defeat in his career (after 18 straight victories by knockout). After the fight, doctors diagnosed the Russian with a fracture of his left arm near the hand and a broken nose. Abdusalamov was also found to have a small blood clot in his brain. Doctors performed an operation to remove the clot, after which they put the Russian in an induced coma.
Some time ago, I spoke with Magomed’s brother, Abdusalam, who was in Magomed’s corner during the fight,” RIA Novosti quotes the boxer’s co-promoter Stepan Lengyel as saying. - Magomed’s condition is now stable, the pain shock has passed. Due to the possibility of aggravation of the consequences after missed blows and increased headaches, in order to preserve his health, the doctors considered it necessary to put him in a state of artificial coma, while his coordination was almost completely preserved. Abdusalam expressed hope that by Monday morning general condition health will return to normal - the next examination is scheduled for this time.
2017-09-11T13:26:42+03:00
“They won’t give me my money back. ex-husband" The Abdusalamov family received $22 million in compensation in a US court
The family of Russian boxer Magomed Abdusalamov won a lawsuit in the United States and will receive a very large monetary compensation. Match TV correspondent Vadim Tikhomirov spoke with Bakanai Abdusalamova to find out what three years of struggle for justice and the health of her husband were like for her.
On November 2, 2013, in New York, Russian Magomed Abdusalamov lost a boxing match for the first time in his career: he lost to Cuban Mike Perez by unanimous decision. After the fight, Abdusalamov felt unwell, began to lose consciousness and was taken to the hospital by taxi. Doctors determined a cerebral hemorrhage and put the boxer into an induced coma. In December, Abdusalamov was brought out of a coma - and two exhausting processes began for his family. The first is rehabilitation, due to the fact that after a coma the boxer could not move or talk. The second is a judicial one, since, according to Magomed’s relatives, he did not receive timely medical care.
On the night of September 9, 2017, ESPN wrote that the court ordered the state of New York to pay the boxer's family $22 million as compensation for the injuries received by Magomed Abdusalamov. Among other things, it was stated that this was the largest compensation in US history for personal injuries.
“All this is really true, but the trial is not over yet, we are continuing the case, there will be more proceedings,” said Bakanai Abdusalamova, Magomed’s wife, in an interview with Match TV a few hours after the news appeared.
“But the state of New York must pay your family $22 million, and that’s for sure?”
– For you, was money a matter of principle, a desire to prove that someone is guilty of what happened to your husband?
– It’s hard for me to say now. You see, when the trial began, I thought that by the last court hearings Mago would come to his senses. I thought his condition was for six months, maybe a year. But now, when you understand that Mago has not yet recovered and this requires a lot of money, and you see that you are alone, and all the essentials for your family need to be paid for somehow, you understand that you need money too.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUSlv8Zl5FH/– I understand perfectly well that you did not win this money in the lottery, but still this is a huge fortune that suddenly became yours - how will you use it?
– We have to pay for the work of lawyers, we have debts - about two million dollars. Plus, of the amount that will be paid to us, ten million will look like an investment that will provide us with a monthly income, which should be enough to support the family and rehabilitate Magomed. I hope this money will help create best conditions for recovery, we will be able to see where and what kind of rehabilitation centers there are, it will be easier for us to move around.
As I said, we received the money, but whatever it was, I can’t just take it and return the Mago who was before.
– What is a two million dollar debt?
– These are the expenses that we incurred during the rehabilitation process. All procedures here are very expensive. Just to give you an example, a 15-minute acupuncture session costs $150. Several such sessions are needed per week, and we have been doing them for three years. A special bed for people who cannot move independently costs about eight thousand dollars. We need to pay so we can go and train.
- Train?
– That’s what I call physiotherapy, I’m already used to this word when I talk about Magomed. Usually we have hour-long training sessions and in addition to them we either work out in the pool, or people come to us and do acupuncture. There is a special room at home where we can go for procedures.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOs-OJFDmet/– All boxers have insurance before the fight.
– Yes, insurance coverage is ten thousand dollars... This is enough for a few minutes of intensive care in a clinic in the USA. Magomed spent two months in a coma. I'm exaggerating, of course, but when a person receives such damage, insurance does not cover even a small part. For example, Andrei Ryabinsky (Russian businessman, head of the World of Boxing company - Match TV) helped us pay for treatment at a rehabilitation center. Treatment there costs several tens of thousands of dollars a month. But we had many procedures later, in fact, it was treatment on debt - the hospital agreed, although I understood that it would be difficult for me to repay this debt. I have nothing.
During rehabilitation, Magomed was hospitalized several times. One time everything was very serious, he developed a severe infection, we just didn’t advertise it. We developed osteomyelitis (a purulent-necrotic process in the bone - Match TV), sepsis, and Magomed’s condition was very serious. At some point it seemed to me that the doctors basically decided that he couldn’t cope and thought that this was how it should be. I started screaming for them to do something. Magomed spent several weeks in the hospital. Now we live further, and I won’t say everything here is luxurious, but normal.
– Where do you live?
– In Greenwich in New York, in a house that was provided to us by a family friend, Aminulla Suleymanov, he, together with Andrei Ryabinsky, helped us the most, and I am very grateful to them for this, because it was the help without which everything would have happened now differently. But obviously, we can’t live our whole lives in someone else’s house, we would like to buy our own.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPEqeKUj67k/– Have you ever met Mike Perez (Magomed Abdusalamov’s rival)?
- No. For what?
– Would it be important for you for him to personally apologize to you?
“He boxed in the ring just like my husband. Before this, Magomed’s victories were all knockouts, that is, he also beat people hard. What happened to him is not his opponent's fault.
-Who do you blame?
– I can’t give assessments. We believe that Magomed did not receive timely medical care- that's all I can say.
– Does Magomed understand that you won the trial?
– It’s difficult for me to answer you. I tell him this, of course, but I don’t think he fully understands. He is a different person now, he cannot sit and discuss what we will do now that we have won the trial. I can. I think about what conditions this will create for him so that he can live and train, what conditions I can create for the lives of Magomed and my children.
I would like to equip a training room at home, buy all the necessary rehabilitation equipment there, so that we can undergo procedures outside the rehabilitation center, so that we can exercise before going to bed. I would like to buy him a special bed, I have my eye on a few more things for him and hopefully it will work out now.
– Unfortunately, there are stories when a person and doctors reach the maximum in their rehabilitation capabilities, and after that it is difficult to improve anything.
“In general, the doctors first told us that he would not survive, then that he would not be able to think, then that he would not be able to speak. Now they are saying that they are seeing a miracle, because initially they looked at the pictures of his brain and said the word “plant”, and now they look and say “fantastic”.
The left side of his body works, he opens his eyes, he tries to speak. While the doctors are not promising anything, we just hope that there will be some more results.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BW686_xlcbV/– Have you thought about trying treatment somewhere not in the USA: in Israel, Switzerland, Germany?
- It’s good where we are not. Of course, they say that there are other good clinics, but America has very good medicine. Perhaps in another country he would not have survived with such injuries. But I’m not ready to move with the children and Magomed to another place, especially when I don’t know how he will survive the flight.
– Do they give you a lot of advice on how to treat yourself?
– On Instagram they constantly write: “Try this... do this... these medicines help.” I’m not trying any of this, because I can’t give anything without the doctor’s permission, and now he has a lot of drugs that he needs to know how to combine with each other, and some new drugs may simply turn out to be incompatible. Someone says that we need to use the traditional Islamic method - Hijama (treatment by bloodletting - Match TV), I respect traditions, but can you imagine if doctors in the USA see that I myself do some things on my husband’s body? then cuts. I think I might be sent to court then.
– If you happen to see a boxing match today, how do you react?
“I can’t sit down and turn on boxing on purpose, but if I see it somewhere, I won’t turn away, I understand that my husband lived this, and you could get injured in ordinary life. Now, when you wrote to me on WhatsApp, you thought that this was not my number, because in my profile photo there is an adult man.
- Yes, and very serious.
– This is just a photograph of my brother, he died in a car accident two years ago. This is a huge grief, but this does not mean that we should now not drive. It's the same with boxing.
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 won’t box, but he’s a good and brave man, he has a wonderful family. Every dollar will help,” Levkovich said.
At the age of 32, 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.
We bring to your attention a translation of a short article famous writer Thomas Hauser, dedicated to former heavyweight boxer Magomed Abdusalamov.
On November 2, 2013, Russian heavyweight Magomed Abdusalamov suffered serious brain damage in a fight with Mike Perez at Madison Square Garden in New York.
People with injuries like Magomed's are usually not in the public eye. They disappear into the shadows. We sometimes get positive reviews about their states like “he’s in the clinic” and “he’s on the mend”, etc. None of us are immune from this. None of us are promised a life that will be immune to terrible suffering.
Magomed fought to provide for his family. And he succeeded. Last year, the state of New York, which was responsible for staging the fights on its territory, agreed to pay Abdusalamov and his family $22 million after nearly four years trial regarding New York State's poor health protocols and their implementation.
Some of the $22 million went to lawyers. Magomed's wife, Bakanay, received a large one-time payment. The bulk of this money will be issued in annuities, which will constitute Magomed's income for the next thirty years. If he dies before that period ends, the $2 million will return to New York State and the remainder of the annuity will become Magomed's property. All his expenses for medical care and the associated bills are paid from an annuity controlled by Charles Thomas, a former Queens County judge.
Magomed and Bakanay live in Greenwich with their three daughters, who are currently 11, 8 and 4 years old. Greenwich is part of Connecticut's Gold Coast, home to top fund managers and other financial elites. But the city also has several less expensive areas. The Abdusalamovs live in a modest house surrounded by asphalt and gravel on small area land without lawn or garden.
Every morning Bakanay bathes and shave Magomed and dresses him in clean clothes. Three days a week she takes him to Stamford Hospital for physical therapy. It is not aimed at improving his condition - only minor physical or cognitive improvements are expected - but mostly to prevent further atrophy of Magomed's muscles.
The right side of Magomed's body is completely paralyzed. On right side head there is a scar in the shape and size of a horseshoe. He can control his left hand to a certain extent and the left side of the body. He gets tired quickly and suffers from cramps. He cannot walk or control his physical functions. He has high risk choking, so everything that goes into his mouth is carefully controlled.
His voice is weak. He tries to speak, sometimes in English and sometimes in Russian. Often what he says is not clear. IN best case scenario only a few words come out at a time. Sometimes they suit the situation. In other cases they are not suitable.
He can follow simple commands such as "take my hand."
Magomed knows that he is sick. The extent to which he understands his condition is uncertain. He responds to kindness. He recognizes familiar faces, his wife and children, and knows that they are the objects of his affection. His strongest connection is with Bakanai. When asked if he knows who she is, he replies: “Big love.”
His mind wanders. Almost always his gaze is empty.
He will never be able to take care of himself again.
But he's still Mago.
