Jakub Moczyk, 22, was rendered unconscious by a single punch during the final round
A novice boxer who died after being knocked unconscious in his first public fight did not stand a chance due to lack of medical provision, his sister told an inquest today.
Jakub Moczyk, 22, known to his friends and family as Kuba, was rendered unconscious by a punch to the head during the third round of the bout in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
His twin sister Magdalena Moczyk told an inquest hearing that there was panic as Mr Moczyk lay unconscious and convulsing on the canvas at the Atlantis Tower Arena on November 19 last year.
‘There were no doctors, no ambulances for over an hour,’ Miss Moczyk said in a written statement read to Norfolk Coroner’s Court in Great Yarmouth.
‘No stretchers, nobody was prepared for this. It was a total nightmare. Nobody seemed to be in charge or responsible. Kuba didn’t recover. He wasn’t given any chance.’
Mr Moczyk was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries two days later. His sister said tickets for the match were being sold as £15 standard and £25 VIP.
Mr Moczyk’s twin sister Magdalena Moczyk (pictured together) had set up a GoFundMe page called Wake up Kuba to raise £20,000 for specialist treatment abroad
‘It was going to be his first public fight and he was so excited,’ she said. ‘Me and his mum were so scared as we didn’t want him to fight or get hurt.’
She said he was the lightest in his group and his coach struggled to find an opponent for him.
Mr Moczyk, pictured during a previous fight
One was found and Mr Moczyk ‘was then reassured the boy had zero public fights and was on the same level’, his sister said.
On the afternoon of the fight she said he went to the venue for a medical check. ‘I was surprised to see Kuba come home very quickly,’ she said.
‘There wasn’t a doctor or anyone qualified enough. Scott (Osinski, his coach) said no doctor, no fight. At this point Kuba thought the match wasn’t going to go ahead.’
She said a medic was found at short notice and the event went ahead. Ms Moczyk said she ‘couldn’t bear’ watching fights but went to support her brother.
‘Kuba seemed totally fine when his first round started,’ she said. ‘He was clearly winning the second round as his opponent was sick, not once but twice.
‘He was hanging over the ropes and showing no desire. Kuba raised his arms and was sure he had won. Everyone was chanting “Kuba, Kuba”.
Mr Moczyk was taken to hospital and placed on life support after the single punch, but was pronounced clinically dead two days later in November last year
The inquest heard that there was panic as Mr Moczyk lay unconscious and convulsing on the canvas at the Atlantis Tower Arena (pictured) in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
‘That’s the last time he looked in my direction. I don’t know how but it continued and his opponent threw some really nasty punches.’
She claimed in her statement to the inquest: ‘We found out later the referee was the opponent’s coach. I think this is really wrong and he had no chance of winning.
‘If the fight stopped in the second round, my brother would still be alive. Kuba’s opponent wasn’t a novice fighter, Kuba was.’
She said of the event: ‘It was a total lack of management, responsibility and health and safety.’
Senior coroner for Norfolk Jacqueline Lake asked Mr Osinski how he would describe the event. He replied: ‘An unlicensed boxing event.’
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (right) told a promoter he was ‘devastated’ by the news
Polish-born factory worker Mr Moczyk lived in Bath Hill, Great Yarmouth.
Ms Lake said the inquest would hear evidence about ‘the arrangements that were in place on November 19 at the Atlantis Arena including the risk assessments that were in place at the time’.
Miss Moczyk had set up a GoFundMe page called Wake up Kuba to raise £20,000 for specialist treatment abroad.
She raised more than £4,000 before he died surrounded by his family.
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury told local boxing events promoter Leon Docwra he was ‘devastated’ by the news.