Wanderlei Silva Hospitalized After Boxing Match Incident
Wanderlei Silva, a prominent figure from the early days of mixed martial arts, was hospitalized on Saturday following a major incident after an exhibition boxing match in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The 49-year-old fighter was disqualified in the fourth round for delivering illegal headbutts against 50-year-old Acelino Freitas.
Post-Match Brawl and Injuries
After the match concluded, tensions escalated sharply when members from both fighters’ camps clashed in an intense brawl that broke out inside the ring. In the midst of the chaos, Silva was struck by a punch, allegedly from Rafael Freitas, the son of Acelino Freitas, and fell hard to the canvas.
Fabricio Werdum, a former UFC champion and Silva’s cornerman, took to social media to disclose that Silva sustained a fractured nose and required stitches on his face due to the blows he received. Werdum expressed his outrage at the situation, stating:
“The images don’t lie. It was so evil for that guy to punch Wanderlei. He punched the back of the head of Wanderlei. I don’t know if it landed clean, but it could have been something very serious.”
Acelino Freitas’ Defense
Acelino Freitas defended his actions against the backdrop of the brawl, attributing the blame to Silva’s corner, particularly targeting Werdum, who had thrown punches at Freitas and his team before the knockout occurred. Freitas remarked on social media:
“When the fight ended, the referee disqualified Wanderlei for the three headbutts, his coach went after me and punched me. Wanderlei, the fight was between you and me and had nothing to do with the team. If you headbutted me, cool, I don’t care. But unfortunately, Werdum cowardly entered the ring with your son and went all over everybody. And I saw that someone also punched you.”
Event Aftermath
Given the circumstances, neither the Brazilian National Boxing Council nor Spaten Fight Night, the promoter behind the event, announced any immediate disciplinary actions. Spaten Fight Night released a statement indicating that the events did not align with their values centered around sportsmanship and adherence to regulations.
The exhibition marked Silva’s return to the boxing ring after his MMA retirement in 2018. He had originally been slated to compete against fellow Brazilian MMA icon Vitor Belfort, who withdrew shortly before the event, leading to Freitas stepping in with less than a month’s notice. The matchup was planned to span eight rounds, with Silva significantly heavier, weighing in at 44 pounds more than Freitas.
