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Novice boxer who died 'wasn't given a chance', inquest told Novice boxer who died 'wasn't given a chance', inquest told
(about 5 hours later)
A novice boxer who died after he was knocked unconscious in his first public fight did not stand a chance due to lack of medical provision, his sister has told an inquest. A novice boxer who died after being knocked out at an unlicensed event did not stand a chance of recovering due to a lack of medical provision, his twin sister has told an inquest.
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. Jakub Moczyk, 22, known to friends and family as Kuba, was rendered unconscious by a punch to the head during the third round of his first public fight, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. He was taken from the Atlantis Tower arena to hospital on 19 November 2016 and died two days later.
His twin sister, Magdalena Moczyk, told an inquest hearing at Norfolk coroner’s court in Great Yarmouth there was panic as the boxer lay unconscious and convulsing on the canvas at the Atlantis Tower arena on 19 November 2016. His sister, Magdalena Moczyk, told an inquest at Norfolk coroner’s court in Great Yarmouth of her concerns about the fight, including that the referee was the opponent’s coach, the opponent had more boxing experience than her brother, and that she felt there was insufficient medical cover.
“There were no doctors, no ambulances for over an hour,” she said in a written statement read to the court. “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.”“There were no doctors, no ambulances for over an hour,” she said in a written statement read to the court. “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.”
Moczyk was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries two days later. She was at the ringside for the fight and felt it should have been stopped in the second round, when his 17-year-old opponent, Irvidas Juskys, appeared to be struggling.
His sister said tickets for the match were being sold for £15 standard and £25 for VIP seats. “[Kuba] was clearly winning the second round as his opponent was sick, not once but twice,” she said. “He was hanging over the ropes and showing no desire.”
“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.” The referee, Melvin Payne, allowed the bout to continue. Moczyk said in her statement: “We found out later the referee was the opponent’s coach. I think this is really wrong and [Kuba] had no chance of winning. If the fight stopped in the second round, my brother would still be alive.”
She said he was the lightest in his group and his coach struggled to find an opponent for him. One was found and Moczyk “was then reassured the boy had zero public fights and was on the same level”, his sister said. The senior coroner for Norfolk, Jacqueline Lake, asked Payne if it concerned him that he was both the referee and a coach at the gym Juskys attended.
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, Moczyk’s coach] said no doctor, no fight. At this point Kuba thought the match was not going to go ahead.” “None whatsoever,” he said. “Everyone has to be impartial, you know.”
She said a medic was found at short notice and the event took place. Neither fighter was wearing a headguard, and Payne said there was no requirement for them to do so.
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. Asked why he had not started counting out Juskys when he was on the ropes in the second round, Payne said: “He wasn’t hit by a punch. He was gagging on his gum shield. That’s more [a case of] anxiety.” He said the boy had wanted to carry on.
“Kuba raised his arms and was sure he had won. Everyone was chanting Kuba, Kuba. 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.” Asked by Moczyk’s mother about his qualifications, Payne said he had 40 years of experience.
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. Moczyk, a Polish-born factory worker, lived in Bath Hill, Great Yarmouth. His sister said: “Kuba was my twin brother, my only brother, my everything – the perfect brother and we were very close. He was hard-working, very protective and loving of his family. He was full of life and never stopped smiling.”
“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.”
The senior coroner for Norfolk, Jacqueline Lake, asked Osinski how he would describe the event. He replied: “An unlicensed boxing event.”
Moczyk, a Polish-born factory worker, lived in Bath Hill, Great Yarmouth.
Lake said the inquest would hear evidence about “the arrangements that were in place on 19 November at the Atlantis arena, including the risk assessments that were in place at the time”.
The inquest continues.The inquest continues.