Dylan Bettencourt
Mexican boxer Jeanette Zacarias Zapata fell into a coma after suffering a defeat in a boxing match staged in Canada.
The 18-year-old from Mexico was stretchered out of the ring and rushed to hospital after appearing to have a seizure at the start of the fifth round.
A left uppercut and right hook from her opponent Marie Pier Houle sent Zapata to the canvas.
Zapata spent a few minutes lying unconscious on the canvas before receiving emergency medical attention.
“Accidents like Zacarias’ are very, very rare and we want to make sure to find ways to prevent it from happening again,” event promoter Yvon Michel told CBC News on Monday.
The Mexican’s opponent Houle posted a statement on her Facebook account where she said boxing carries a lot of risks and dangers.
“Boxing is our job but we never intend to harm our opponents in this manner,” she said.
She said she hoped with “all her heart” that she gets well.
“I offer my thoughts and prayers to Jeannette and her family,” the post said.
The Régie des Alcools de Courses et des Jeux (RACJ), the regulatory body that manages several industries, including boxing in Quebec, Canada will investigate after seizing Houle’s gloves, according to Global News.
Image source: @LaPresse
