A Winnipeg man died after experiencing a medical emergency during a boxing match at a charity event on Saturday, says his boxing club.
In a statement, the United Boxing Club, based in Winnipeg, confirmed that Robert Boyko, 54, died in what he calls a “tragic accident” that occurred while boxing during the part of the corporate challenge of the gala -gala charity collection event of Gala X Melee on Saturday night in Winnipeg, which was established by the club in 2013.
United Boxing said Boyko began boxing in the winter of 2024, and in the short time he had been involved in sport he had a positive impact on many aspects of his life.
“Robert helped motivate and inspire our members at United Boxing Club and will be deeply surprised,” the club said.
The club said he communicated with Boyko’s family and is working with Boxing Canada to provide advice services.
United Boxing Club said in the statement that it has no knowledge of any failures in the various security protocols, which include medical exams at the time of the registration and the day of competition.
“The parties are considered factors such as age and weight,” the club said. “Yes, there was medical support in the event, and they immediately acted in the medical emergency.”
In a message sent to CBC Manitoba, Boyko’s sister, Karen Lynn, said that although the family is devastated by his sudden death, there is a comfort knowing that he spent his last moments doing something that he had done so happy in recent months.
Lynn said that at 54, his brother was the oldest person to participate in the part of the corporate challenge of the Melee X Gala.
“Our hearts are broken, however, there was not stopping it,” said Lynn. “I was determined to support the beneficial organization and worked hard to achieve this goal in life.”
‘Sad Situation’: Boxing Canada
Boxing Canada executive director, Christopher Lindsay, told CBC News that there will be an exhaustive review of the incident, describing him as an “anomaly.”
“It is definitely a sad situation everywhere, and it is not something that is in the normal course of physical activity among teachers athletes or specifically boxing,” said Lindsay.
All competitors on Saturday had seen a doctor during the weight that asked several health -related questions and verified things like blood pressures, Lindsay said.
He added that the event included an ring doctor, who immediately attended Boyko.
“That ring doctor has a position of authority within the structure of the competition, where at some point they feel that the security of an athlete is at risk, can immediately end the competition,” he said.
The Winnipeg Fire paramedics service confirmed that they responded to a call from a medical emergency on Saturday around 9:30 pm in block 1400 of Recent Avenue West, and that person was sent to the hospital in critical condition.
Boxing helped Boyko “go back the clock” in health
Meanwhile, in a publication on social networks in United Boxing Club Instagram account As of August 1, Boyko said that he could participate in the corporate challenge of the Charity Melee Gala X fund collection event was a “unique opportunity in life” for which he was “deeply grateful.”
Boyko wrote in the publication that when he joined his first class in United Boxing Club on February 24, 2024, he could not even complete a single heating round around the gym.
He wrote that he was 53 years old at that time and had not participated in any type of exercise in more than 10 years and that he had never launched a blow. The possibility of “recovering my health, especially through boxing sport, seemed very unlikely,” he wrote.
“On any day, I have 20 or 30 years older than most others in the gym, but you would never know it because of the way they treat me,” he said in the publication.
“I have not only been able to go back to my health, but I have also recovered my confidence and social thanks,” he wrote. “I have made hobbies to study social psychology and quantum physical, and I have even started an incursion on the creation of online content. I could even buy a keyboard.”
Boyko also wrote in the publication about overcoming challenges in his personal life and his past trauma.
“And know that, no matter the circumstances, you can return,” he wrote. “Fight against the bell. Make each round count.”
