By Miguel Rivera

Former four division world champion Miguel Cotto has recommended that all of the boxing commissions should conduct rigorous examinations after fights, so the boxers, their handlers and the respective commissions get a better sense of any post-fight injuries.

"My comment is that they must create some kind of regulation to [have additional medical tests] as a post-fight requirement," said Cotto.

Cotto's concern originates in the death of two boxers in late July: Russia's Maxim Dadashev and the Argentine Hugo 'Dinamita' Santillán.

Dadashev died on the 23rd of July at the age of 28 after suffering head injuries from blows he received four days earlier against Puerto Rican Subriel Matías, in a fight held in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Dadashev was hospitalized and operated after the fight, which was stopped by his corner after the 11th round after Dadashev received numerous blows to the head.

For his part, Santillán, 23, died two days later in a hospital in the province of Buenos Aires where he was hospitalized in a coma after passing out four days earlier in the aftermath of his fight with Uruguayan Eduardo Abreu.

Santillán passed out in the ring, he was given oxygen and was transferred to the San Felipe hospital, where he was admitted to intensive care.

"It's hard to think of a solution," said Cotto, who had a 27-year career in boxing, which ended on December 2, 2017.

Cotto finished his career with winners of 41 wins and 6 losses.

The ex-Puerto Rican mentioned that excessive weight loss can influence the unfortunate outcome.

Cotto admitted that on several occasions, after several brawls, he had headaches in the aftermath.

"Thank God that during my career things were done as they should have been done," he said.

Cotto, however, was honest in saying that a boxer also takes a lot of punches from sparring in the gym.

"It is the coach's obligation to see and understand if his boxer received excessive punishment. The trainer, he is the one who has to be aware of everything," Cotto said.