By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
The shocking death of World Boxing Organization (WBO) intercontinental flyweight champion Choi Yo-sam, who collapsed minutes after his Dec. 25 title fight against Heri Amol, will be haunting Christmas memories for years to come.
The latest ringside tragedy has exposed the lack of medical control and lax fighting regulations in South Korean boxing, and even suspicions of corruption within the slipshod Korean Boxing Commission (KBC), which apparently has been fortunate in avoiding other fatal matches in recent years.
Choi's bout against his hard-hitting Indonesian challenger was certainly a brutal fight with both boxers tearing into each other from the outset.
The fatal blow came in the closing seconds of the 12th and final round, when Choi, who had a comfortable lead in points, took a hard right to the jaw that sent him to the canvas.
Amol's straight initially looked to have caused little damage as Choi sprang back to his feet and managed to finish the fight for a successful title defense. However, Choi collapsed just moments after returning to his corner and lapsed into a coma from which he was never to regain consciousness.
Choi's death could be a fatal blow to the troubled sport of boxing, once a favorite pastime of Koreans but now breathing heavily on the ropes due to a diminishing fan base and dearth of talent.
The most disturbing question is whether Choi should have been allowed to step into the ring at all on Christmas Day. Choi's trainers and family members are now revealing that the 34-year-old champion experienced extreme trouble in making his weight limit ahead of the fight, and even suffered from insomnia thought to be caused by inadequate medication.
Rapid weight loss and dehydration are considered to be crucial elements that increase death risks in the ring, as they slow the fighter's reflexes.
According to his trainers, Choi was still half a kilogram above the 50.8-kilogram weight limit on Dec. 23, a day before the weigh-in, and had to refrain from drinking water until the fight started.
And weeks before the fight, Choi experienced sleeping problems after drinking packs of oriental medicine that were intended as a stimulant. He was also treated for a cold days before the fight, and complained of headaches and fatigue, the trainers said.
Despite his conditioning problems, Choi was cleared to fight Amol. In South Korea, pre-match medical tests are basically not much more than a glance into the eyes and the taking of blood pressure, and scheduled fights rarely get canceled.
``As stated in the regulations, we checked Choi's blood pressure and pulse and both were normal. We asked Choi if he was suffering from a cold and he said no,'' said the Soonchunhyang Hospital doctor who was the ringside physician for Choi's last fight.
Korean boxing's excuse for medical testing starkly contrasts with the tighter regulations in the United States, such as the boxing Mecca of Nevada which requires pre-fight MRI tests.
There is also the need for having physicians trained in life-saving treatment and emergency equipment at ringside.
The ringside physician at Choi's match was a one-year resident from his hospital's orthopedics department and his lack of experience became costly when he directed the ambulance back to Soonchunhyang Hospital, leaving the unconscious Choi stuck in traffic for 40 minutes. The closest hospital, the Asan Medical Center, was just about 15 minutes away.
``Pre-match medical tests are simply just a formality here. In many cases, a simple check on blood pressure is all that's done,'' said Lee Sang-ho, a retired welterweight fighter.
``There is a need to strengthen the regulations, such as having every boxer submit a certificate of health before every fight,'' he said.
It bears to be seen whether the KBC can be the reliable governing body that will make the appropriate changes, when it is failing to contribute a penny to Choi's family's medical bills.
The KBC collects 1 percent of the fight money from each bout to maintain a healthcare insurance fund to help fighters finance medical treatment from ring injuries.
However, there is less than 10 million won ($10,650) left in the fund, with boxing authorities suspected of illegally pocketing the money. Seoul's Dobong District Police Station is currently questioning two KBC officials who were sued for embezzling more than 50 million won from the healthcare fund.
Choi's tragic fight inevitably brings back the memories of the 1982 title bout in Las Vegas between American lightweight champion Ray Mancini and South Korean challenger Kim Duk-koo.
Kim slipped into a coma and died from injuries sustained during the match, which led to reforms in boxing, including the end of 15-round bouts and health checks before and after fights.
Should Choi's death force Korean boxing authorities to be more responsible for the safety of their fighters and take real steps to prevent ringside tragedies, it would be a larger achievement than any victory Choi earned in his lifetime.