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Mesi denied license; lawsuit likely
June 10, 2005 - On Thursday, the Nevada Athletic Commission denied heavyweight contender Joe Mesi's request to lift the medical suspension that has kept him out of the ring for more than a year. Mesi twice suffered bleeding on the brains, technically named subdural hematomas since his last bout, against Vassiliy Jirov. The vote was unanimous, 5-0, in favor of keeping Mesi on suspension. Under American law, every boxing commission in the country is required to honor the suspension. The Associated Press quoted commission member Dr. Tony Alamo as saying, "I'm truly sorry. Maybe at the end of the day it's the commission's job to throw in the towel for you.'' A federal lawsuit based on a claim that Mesi's constitutional rights have been violated seems likely. "I'm prepared to do whatever it takes,'' Mesi said after the hearing. Mesi defeated Jirov last March by ten-round decision but Mesi was knocked down twice and badly hurt in the last round. Had there been even an additional thirty seconds, Mesi could have been knocked out or worse. Still, he presented testimony from qualified physicians that he would be at no greater risk than other boxers. -Scott Shaffer
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