In combat sports, notably boxing, hand injuries are prevalent. However, because many injuries appear to be minor, athletes may put off seeking medical attention. Chris Mallac explains boxing hand injuries and provides clinicians with a treatment overview to help athletes avoid being knocked out by injury.
By now you’ve seen the second round and the watch-it-from-the-corner-of-your-eyes leg injury Mora suffered.
It might not be quite Lawrence Taylor-on-Joe Theismann, but regardless, the ESPN cameras gave you a very good look at a leg that bends in ways legs, generally speaking, shouldn’t bend.
Mora wasn’t able to continue the fight, and the bout was ruled a TKO victory for Jacobs.
Because it was an accidental injury that happened before four rounds, though, Mora believes the match should be considered a no contest. And he’s taking his case to the New York State Athletic Commission.
“I finally got to watch it. It hurts to watch,” Mora said. “I will be appealing this decision on my own with the New York state commission. The video clearly shows I didn’t get dropped with a punch. I did get hit to the body while I was bending down really low to the ground, like I normally do, then I got hit behind the head, which is an illegal punch.
“But I was already going down and my knee was already in a funky position, and that’s when Jacobs did put his weight on me. From what I know and what I read, if the injury is not the result of a punch, then I have a case. Obviously, he didn’t punch me in my ankle.”
According to the rules in New York, “If an accidental foul causes an injury severe enough for the referee to stop the bout immediately, the bout will result in a no decision if stopped before four completed rounds.”
In the meantime, Mora is going to see an orthopedic specialist in Los Angeles to get the final verdict on a timetable to heal the avulsion fracture, which also resulted in trauma-related fluid on the knee.
An avulsion fracture occurs when the tendon or ligament pulls off a piece of the bone. Preliminary estimates are that Mora will need six to eight weeks to heal.
In the aftermath of the fight, Daniel Jacobs was quick to say there would be no rematch. Jacobs also agreed in the postfight press conference with trainer Andre Rozier’s surprising contention that Sergio Mora used the injury as an excuse to avoid a knockout.
“If I took the easy way out, there’s no reason he should be celebrating an empty victory,” Mora shot back. “You don’t celebrate empty victories, if you’re a champion especially. He wants no part of a rematch because he knows I’m better than everyone says. Just like everyone finds out when they fight me. I’m stronger than they think; I’m better than they think.
“When you knock someone down and you think it’s going to be over and your adrenaline is going through the roof and you’re happy and then you get somebody who knocks you down, guess what? You just turned the table on them. I’ve been there. A lot of boxers have been there. You don’t want a [guy] to get up and knock you back down and hurt you, because it feels like you’re fighting the Terminator.”
For complete coverage, including photos and video, make sure to check out our Jacobs vs Mora fight page.
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