Chaos erupted during Tuesday morning’s RIZIN Bangaichi event in Saitama, Japan, when an exhibition boxing match between Rukiya Anpo and Sina Karimian took an unexpected turn in the final round.
The incident occurred when Karimian threw a spinning punch, leading to an intense physical altercation between the two competitors. As the official attempted to restore order, he became caught in the crossfire, receiving three strikes – a left hand from Anpo, followed by a two-punch combination from Karimian during the separation.
Anpo, who was originally scheduled to face Ryan Garcia before the latter withdrew due to injury, is a seasoned kickboxing veteran known for his previous boxing encounter with Manny Pacquiao in Japan. Karimian, himself an experienced kickboxer, contributed to the dramatic sequence that momentarily halted the proceedings.
After officials managed to restore calm, the match resumed. Anpo ultimately secured a unanimous decision victory, with all three judges scoring the bout 60-54 in his favor.
The exhibition match was part of the preliminary card leading up to RIZIN Decade, the promotion’s New Year’s Eve showcase. The event featured a full lineup of compelling matchups, including contests between Chihiro Suzuki and Kleber Koike, and Kyoji Horiguchi facing Nkazimulo Zulu.
The incident has since garnered significant attention from combat sports enthusiasts, highlighting an unusual moment in what was intended to be an exhibition showcase of technical skill.
