The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is once again shining a not-so-flattering light on combat sports, not long after it made headlines with its investigative piece on the tragic -- and perhaps preventable -- death of amateur kickboxer Dennis Munson Jr. (more on that here).
Not much has changed.
Jesse Roach, who is medicated and receiving federal disability benefits, was knocked out by veteran fighter and former wrestling champion Jesse Rowell at a Harley-Davidson dealership in Milwaukee, serving as a makeshift arena for a night of boxing and kickboxing.
Roach expected to be in a wrestling match and didn't realize he was making his kickboxing debut until just a few hours before the fight.
Surprisingly enough, the state commission was in the building for the event, but was only authorized to regulate the boxing portion of the card and beat feet for the kickboxing contests. Roach was promised $50 "and a medal" for participating in the bout -- in which he was stopped in just 47 seconds -- and received neither.
Rowell, an established fight promoter and gym owner, insists he did not know Roach was mentally disabled, despite fighting him in the past and inviting him back for another bout. He attributed his opponent's behavior and speech pattern to being "punch drunk" after a fight.
It should be noted this is the same event that allowed a fighter with a history of 17 concussions to compete against his doctor's orders.
"Fighting is just something to build my confidence up," Roach said in the above video. "I just ... don't want to get picked on anymore."
For a more detailed account of this story, including interviews with state officials and both participants, click here.
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