The brother of a boxer who had just been awarded a technical knockout punched the trainer of a rival fighter during a chaotic melee in the ring following a televised bout at the Sydney Arena on Wednesday.
Michael Zerafa received the TKO win after his opponent, Tommy Browne, quit after the first round of the catchweight bout due to a bicep injury.
Zerafa was not happy with his rival retiring, and yelled: “You quit” when Browne remained on his stool after the second round was set to start.
Photo: AP
That triggered a heated argument between Zerafa and Browne’s trainer, Tommy Mercuri.
Then Zerafa’s brother and cornerman, Jason-Manuel Zerafa, entered the ring, moved around behind an official and threw a punch at the side of Mercuri’s head before retreating back behind the boxer.
Jason-Manuel Zerafa was escorted from the arena.
Australian Associated Press later reported that he had been charged by police with assault.
“About 10pm [on Wednesday] police were patrolling a sporting event ... when a 26-year-old man assaulted a 60-year-old man during the event,” New South Wales police said in a statement. “Officers intervened and went to the assistance of the older man, who suffered minor injuries which did not require treatment.”
Jason-Manuel Zerafa was also banned for life by the fight’s promoters.
“He will be barred from attending all No Limit Boxing events in future,” the promoters said in a statement, adding that the provincial Combat Sports Authority of New South Wales “have been informed of the decision ahead of any additional disciplinary action they may elect to proceed with.”
Retired American boxer Shawn Porter, a two-time former world welterweight champion who was providing television commentary of the fight, said the post-bout altercation in the ring was “unacceptable.”
“If Michael knows his brother has the ability to do that ... he shouldn’t be in his corner,” Porter said.
Main Event commentator and boxing analyst Peter Badel said that Jason-Manuel Zerafa should not be allowed to attend future events.
“I don’t think his brother should be involved in boxing again,” Badel said. “That was disgraceful.”
In the pre-fight week, Browne accused Michael Zerafa of quitting in his previous bout, a second-round knockout loss to WBA middleweight world champion ErIslandy Lara in March.
‘SOURCE OF PRIDE’: Newspapers rushed out special editions and the government sent their congratulations as Shohei Ohtani became the first player to enter the 50-50 club Japan reacted with incredulity and pride yesterday after Shohei Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. The Los Angeles Dodgers star from Japan made history with a seventh-inning homer in a 20-4 victory over the Marlins in Miami. “We would like to congratulate him from the bottom of our heart,” top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in Tokyo. “We sincerely hope Mr Ohtani, who has already accomplished feat after feat and carved out a new era, will thrive further,” he added. The landmark achievement dominated Japanese morning news
When Wang Tao ran away from home aged 17 to become a professional wrestler, he knew it would be a hard slog to succeed in China’s passionate but underdeveloped scene. Years later, he has endured family disapproval, countless side gigs and thousands of hours of brutal training to become China’s “Belt and Road Champion” — but the struggle is far from over. Despite a promising potential domestic market, the Chinese pro wrestling community has been battling for recognition and financial stability for decades. “I have done all kinds of jobs [on the side]... Because in the end, it is very
No team in the CPBL can surpass the Taipei Dome attendance record set by the CTBC Brothers, except when the Brothers team up with Taiwanese rock band Mayday. A record-high 40,000 fans turned out at the indoor baseball venue on Saturday for Brothers veteran Chou Szu-chi’s first farewell game, which was followed by a mini post-game concert featuring Mayday. This broke the previous CPBL record of 34,506 set by the Brothers in early last month, when K-pop singer Hyuna performed after the game, and the dome’s overall record of 37,890 set in early March, which featured the Brothers and the
With a quivering finger, England Subbuteo veteran Rudi Peterschinigg conceded the free-kick that sent his country’s World Cup quarter-final into extra-time before smashing his plastic goalkeeper on the floor in frustration. In the genteel southern English town of Tunbridge Wells, 300 elite players have gathered to play the game they love. “I won’t say this is the best weekend I’ve ever had in my life, but it’s certainly in the top two,” said Hughie Best, 58, who flew in from Perth, Australia, to compete and commentate at the event. Tunbridge Wells is the “spiritual home” of Subbuteo, which was invented there in 1946