Story By: Gheorghi Caraseni, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
This Ukrainian boxer has revealed he was infected with hepatitis A by his opponent during a World Boxing Association title match and he is now self-isolating during the coronavirus epidemic.
Ukrainian boxer Karen Chukhadzhyan, 23, reportedly contracted hepatitis A from Russian boxer Sergey Vorobiev, 25, during their World Boxing Association (WBA) international welterweight title match on 1st February.
Chukhadzhyan made a post on 31st March saying: “As you can see, one can get infected whenever and wherever you are. That’s why you take care of yourself even after quarantine.
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“I feel good now. I was in hospital for three weeks and it has been a week since I have been home. I must say right away that he himself did not know that he was ill.
“Therefore, I hold no evil, I do not blame anyone for anything and I ask you to refrain from negative comments. Sergey wrote to me and said that he was sorry that it happened.”
Vorobiev told local media: “I sent him an audio message, saying ‘believe me, that was not intentional. I would never want this to happen even to my enemy. This is very bad, but I happened to box with it.”
Vorobiev said he thinks Chukhadzhyan might have caught the infection from “my nosebleed during the fight, and he had cuts.
“I protected myself with gloves which had blood on them, which might have happened to get into the cuts.”
The Russian’s trainer Alexander Lebedev told local media: “Unfortunately, before the fight, we were not aware since the incubation period of the disease lasts three weeks.
“We went through all the medical tests before the fight which were all negative. The day before the fight, he (Vorobiev) felt bad and took antiviral and antipyretic drugs.”
Lebedev went on to say the illness may have affected the Russian fighter during the match saying: “Alexey told me something was wrong but he did not know what it was during the fight.
“By the end of the third round, he was very tired.”
Chukhadzhyan beat Vorobiev in a split decision which crowned him as the WBA International Welter champion.
Chukhadzhyan won his first career title in 2017 when he was crowned WBO World Youth Champion. He also won the World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Silver title in October of 2018 as part of the 56th WBC Congress. His professional boxing record is 16 wins, one loss and no draws.
Chukhadzhyan said he is resting at home with a strict diet to recover his liver.
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