Boxer Sherif Lawal Dead at 29 After Getting Knocked Out During His Professional Debut

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Boxer Sherif Lawal Dead at 29 After Getting Knocked Out During His Professional Debut Lawal suffered a fatal blow to his temple during the match on May 12 in the United Kingdom

By Natasha Dye Natasha Dye Natasha Dye is a writer-reporter for PEOPLE covering sports. Her previous work appears in The New York Post and Popstar! Magazine.People Editorial

GuidelinesUpdated on May 14, 2024 04:08PM EDT British boxer Sherif Lawal has died following a head injury he sustained during his professional debut, according to multiple outlets. He was

29.

Lawal was competing at the Harrow Leisure Centre in London on Sunday, May 12, when he suffered a blow to the temple, the event's promoter Warren Boxing Management said in a statement on

social media the following day.

“Last night, Sherif Lawal was making his debut at a show at Harrow Leisure Centre, in which our boxer Courtney Bennett was scheduled to fight," the statement said.

"Unfortunately during Sherif’s fight, he collapsed and despite the best efforts of the paramedics, he was later pronounced dead."

Concluding the statement, Warren Boxing Management offered their condolences to Lawal's "family, friends, coaches and all those close to him at this tragic time."

Sherif Lawal/Instagram

According to ESPN, Lawal's fight against Portuguese opponent Malam Varela was the first match of the event, and the following fights were canceled after Lawal suffered the fatal injury.

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The British Boxing Board of Control also released a statement on Monday confirming Lawal's death, according to NBC. "The thoughts of all those involved in Boxing in Great Britain are with

them at this difficult time," the board's statement said.

Additional details were not provided.

Sherif Lawal.

Sherif Lawal/Instagram

18-Year-Old Boxer Jeanette Zacarias Zapata Dies After Sustaining Head Injuries in Fight Knockout In 2021, a similar tragedy occurred when 18-year-old boxer Jeanette Zacarias Zapata sustained

injuries to her brain while fighting Canada's Marie-Pier Houle, according to the Associated Press.

Zapata was attended to by her partner and trainer, Jovanni Martinez, and a medical team at the stadium took her to a local hospital where she was placed in a medically induced coma, the AP

reported.

Her death was announced by event promoter Groupe Yvon Michel in a statement on Thursday night. "It is with great sadness and torment that we have learned, from a representative of her

family, that Jeannette Zacarias Zapata passed away this afternoon at 3:45 p.m.," the statement read.