WBC pays tribute to Bulgarian boxer Isus Velichkov who died in ring aged 21

BOXING has paid tribute after a 21-year-old Bulgarian fighter died in the ring at the weekend.

Isus Velichkov was taking on Ardit Murja at a boxing show in Shkoder, Albania.

But tragedy struck in the fifth round of their scrap, when Velichkov collapsed in the corner.

He had appeared wobbly on his feet in the moments before hitting the canvas.

The fight was immediately waved off, and the referee and medical teams rushed into the ring.

But Albanian TV channel Klan wrote that he “suffered cardiac arrest” and despite being taken to the local hospital, he could not be resuscitated.

Velichkov was taking part in his sixth pro bout, having lost the previous five.

His opponent Murja had won four of his five.

WBC PAYS TRIBUTE

The WBC released a statement on their website after the tragic news broke.

It read: “The World Boxing Council and its President  Mauricio Sulaiman, lament the death of 21-year-old Bulgarian fighter Isus Velichkov.

“Although the ring doctors did their best to save his life, the death was almost immediate.

“The entire WBC joins Velichkov’s family at this very sad time, in deepest sorrow.”

In July this year Maxim Dadashev died aged 28 from head injuries suffered in a brutal loss to Subriel Matias.

The Russian boxer underwent a serious brain surgery following the 11th-round defeat in an IBF light-welterweight title eliminator in Maryland.

Dadashev had the right side of his skull removed to ease brain swelling after suffering a subdural haematoma.

The op, performed by Neurosurgeon Mary I.H. Cobb, reportedly took several hours and the St Petersburg-born fighter was then placed in a medically induced coma.

But the super-lightweight lost the most important fight of his life and passed away due to the extent of his injuries.