A referee was assaulted following a boxing match in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The disturbing incident occurred during a Shuan Boxing event that featured bantamweight competitors Norbelto Jimenez and Marcelino Nieves on the main card. What should have been a professional sporting event quickly descended into chaos when several individuals attacked an official after one of the bouts.
Video footage capturing the assault shows the referee being punched in the face with such force that he was sent flying across the ring. As the official attempted to defend himself, a larger confrontation erupted, trapping him in the corner of the ring where the assault continued.
The severity of the attack intensified as the referee was struck repeatedly, eventually being knocked through the ropes and toppling to the floor below in a desperate attempt to escape his attackers.
The footage, which has circulated widely across social media platforms, has drawn strong condemnation from boxing professionals and fans alike.
Women’s world champion Claressa Shields expressed her disgust online, posting: “This is FK’N RIDICULOUS!!!!! This is sad.”
Fans echoed similar sentiments, with one describing it as “the craziest thing I’ve seen in a boxing ring,” while another called it “one of the worst things I’ve seen at a boxing event.”
Remarkably, this isn’t the first incident of its kind in Dominican Republic boxing. Last June, another altercation occurred when boxer Julio de Jesus Rodriguez confronted and struck an official after being pulled from his bout against Cruz Johnson. In that instance, the referee responded with punches of his own before fleeing the ring.
The repeated occurrences of such behavior raise serious questions about security protocols and respect for officials in boxing events within the region. Boxing governing bodies will likely face pressure to implement stricter measures to protect referees and maintain the integrity of the sport.
The boxing world continues to react to these disgraceful scenes, calls for appropriate sanctions against those involved are growing louder, emphasizing the need to prevent such incidents from tarnishing the reputation of professional boxing.
