Boxing can be a brutal business and it doesn’t miss out on the opportunity to remind everyone of that. Fijian boxer Ubayd Haider, formerly known as Nathan Singh, was rushed to the Lautoka Aspen Hospital for intensive care and underwent surgery last Saturday night after a TKO defeat to China’s Runqi Zhou. 

The 25-year-old Haider was knocked down in the ninth round during the fight for the IBO Asia Pacific Featherweight title at Prince Charles Park in Nadi. South Pacific Boxing Promotions promoted the event. The event featured three international title fights as part of its lineup. The card also featured Haider’s elder brother Sebastian Singh.

The super featherweight southpaw has been kept in an induced coma. Some reports suggest that his father and long-time trainer, Gyan Singh, claimed they are hanging on to hope that Haider will pull through. In the meantime, Fiji Boxing Commission Chairperson, Adi Narayan, has revealed that an inquiry commission will be set up by Wednesday to investigate the whole situation. 

The inquiry commission will comprise of one representative from the boxing commission while the other two will be independent representatives. Narayan also emphasized that all boxers in the event, which was sanctioned by the International Boxing Organization, were required to be tested for drugs after each fight. 

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Narayan claimed the promoter was responsible for the testing and the results are to be shared with the Fiji Boxing Commission. However, now the question is, was the testing even done? 

Needles found in the arena

Some reports suggest that the drug tests were never conducted for any of the boxers involved, as concerns arose about epinephrine and needles allegedly found at the warm-up area at Prince Charles Park in Nadi. Haider’s camp has also raised questions about why the tests were not conducted. 

Meanwhile, some suggest that Haider was looking out of it since the start of round five, as he did not actively fight back. This has led to many questioning whether the fight should have been stopped earlier in the bout, potentially saving Haider from further damage. As of the time of writing, the IBO has not commented on the situation.  

Ubayd Haider is currently fighting for his life, with his family holding onto hope for his recovery. The circumstances of this bout highlight lapses in regulation and oversight. All of us at EssentiallySports extend our heartfelt wishes for Haider’s swift and full recovery.