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It was October 17 when 17-year-old Kiara Rubalcaba walked into ‘Gym Box Johnny’ in the Potreros del Oeste neighborhood of Aguascalientes, Mexico. It was just another day, another training session. She had been in and out of its doors for two months. She knew the faces, the rhythm of the drills, the sound of the gloves hitting the bags. It was all routine. Ordinary. Familiar.
However, that fateful day, she was paired with a more experienced opponent for a sparring session. Rubalcaba, who had only two months’ worth of experience, received several blows to the head. Soon, she collapsed and began to convulse. She was taken to the General Hospital Zone No. 1, where she was stabilized, but when her condition did not improve, she was transferred to Hidalgo Hospital, where advanced technology was available.
She underwent immediate surgery there. However, despite the medical team’s best efforts, Rubalcaba died on October 19.
After her death was confirmed, the Aguascalientes prosecutor’s office launched an investigation to understand what took place and whether the gym was involved in any negligence.
Combat sports have long sparked debates over safety and risk. While the UFC has often been criticized as ‘human ****fighting,’ it is boxing that has historically claimed the most lives. Among its tragic cases, Prichard Colon, once a promising talent, suffered permanent paralysis on his left side after a single misstep by an opponent in 2015, leaving him dependent on a computer for communication for the rest of his life.
Then, earlier this year, there was the tragedy of two Japanese talents that forced the authorities to make amends.
Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa tragically lost their lives in August after sustaining brain injuries on the same card. The Japanese Pro Boxing Association was forced to vote on emergency measures: reducing the number of bouts, keeping hydration in check, and positioning ambulances.
Although details about Rubalcaba’s death remain limited, sparring fatalities are far less common than those in official bouts.
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