‘Criminal’: World champs slammed after pro boxer brutally KOs amateur

A decision to allow professional fighters at the world amateur championships has been slammed after this American left the ring on a stretcher.

The presence of professionals at the Men’s World Boxing Championships is again under the microscope after Uzbekistan super heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov savagely knocked out American Richard Torrez in the quarterfinals.

Jalolov, 25, is 6-0 with six knockouts as a pro but was allowed to compete in the competition being held this week in Ekaterinburg, Russia, after rule changes were made ahead of the last Olympics.

The decision was made around the same time head guards were eliminated.

Torrez, 20, was considered a hot prospect after entering the bout with a 44-4 amateur record. He’d never been stopped.

But that came to a shuddering end when Jalolov landed two extremely heavy one-two combinations to leave Torrez sprawled on the canvas and in need of medical attention. He was stretchered out of the ring.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman led the chorus of condemnation.

Brutal and criminal to allow a professional boxer Jalolov from Russia with 6-0 as a pro to fight outclassed, outweighed and far smaller USA 20 year old amateur Torrez AIBA world championship in Russia. Jalolov is scheduled for his 7th pro fight in 11 days in USA pic.twitter.com/kP8Pwa3PZ9

— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) September 19, 2019

Hope USA's Richard Torrez Jr is alright. That was a shocking KO at the hands of Uzbekistan's Jalolov. Left the ring on a stretcher

— Kevin Byrne (@KevByrneBox) September 18, 2019

But others took a different view. “I don’t see how it’s worse than Teofilo Stevenson dominating heavyweight amateurs forever in the 70s and 80s. He’s considered a legend for that. Jalalov at 25 beating 6 trialhorses in the pros doesn’t make him more experienced than career amateurs are,” Ring Magazine’s Ryan Songalia tweeted.

“I just personally don’t see beating the 6 guys Jalalov beat giving him that much of an edge, Torrez would have beat them too. It’s a damn shame what happened to him, but boxing is like that.”

Richard Torrez was knocked out by Bakhodir Jalolov.

Scary scenes.

Torrez confirmed he was OK in a video message posted to Instagram. “I got hit with a good shot. I’m here in the hospital right now,” Torrez said.

“Everything’s perfect, all the tests came back perfect. They’re just here making sure I’m staying OK … back to the drawing board.”

Jalolov progressed to the semi-finals where he’ll meet Russia’s Maksim Babanin.