Bulgarian boxer Boris Stanchov collapses and dies in the ring after fighting under cousin’s licence

BULGARIAN boxer Boris Stanchov has tragically died in the ring in a shock case of mistaken identity. It was initially reported how 21-year-old Isus Velichkov collapsed during a match with Ardit Murja after suffering a cardiac arrest. But it has been revealed that Stanchov was using the boxing licence of his cousin Velichkov. According to […]

BULGARIAN boxer Boris Stanchov has tragically died in the ring in a shock case of mistaken identity.

It was initially reported how 21-year-old Isus Velichkov collapsed during a match with Ardit Murja after suffering a cardiac arrest.

But it has been revealed that Stanchov was using the boxing licence of his cousin Velichkov.

According to Bad Left Hook, Stanchov had been fighting under his name for the past year and was also stepping into the ring using Velichkov’s medicals.

The tragedy struck in the fifth round of his scrap in Albania after being caught with a jab.

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.

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

It was only when Velichkov stepped forward that the case of mistaken identity was unravelled.

According to reports in Bulgaria, he said: “He has been playing with my card since 2018. He said no problem, the coach knows.”

It is suggested that Stanchov was fighting under a different alias because he didn’t want to have any losses to his name.

A meeting with the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Professional Boxing Union is underway to determine how the names and documents were changed.

Even the WBC released a statement on their website paying tribute to Velichkov 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.