Tragic Russian boxer Arrest Sahakyan who died away last week was warned to quit the sport by his mother and sister before he returned to the ring last year.
The Armenian-born fighter was knocked out for the first time in his nine-fight career on December 26, after which he was taken to hospital where he underwent surgery and slipped into a 10 day coma before he passed away.
He was stopped by 3-0 prospect Igor Semernin at the Rave Boxing Club in Tolyatti in his second fight of the year, suffering swelling on the brain and was subsequently forced to undergo surgery.
Prior to his passing, his record stood at 6-3, including winning the WBC Asian Boxing Council silver middleweight title.
But he had suffered a hematoma during his second career loss almost a year to the day before his tragic final fight.
He had spent nine-months out of the ring after his loss to Edgard Moskvichev, but won his comeback fight against Khusan Yuldashev.
And prior to his ring return, Sahakyan was told by his mother that he should take up a coaching role, instead of getting back between the ropes.
"She told him that his eyes were dull and she didn’t like [it]," his sister Svetlana Petrosyan told REN TV.
"She persuaded him all year to go to work as a coach with children, but he was sick and lived for boxing, so he refused."
The boxer's mother went to his hospital ward before he passed away, and felt that he was beginning to come to his senses after his surgery.
"Mum went to his ward," Petrosyan explained. "It was at this moment that he started shaking his arms and legs [and] his head.
"He was quickly transferred to another intensive care unit - mom came out and, apparently, thought that he was coming to his senses."
The family believe that the fight should not have been allowed to take place, and felt that he was a "different" fighter going into the event.
"He came out weak for the fight," Petrosyan claimed. "If you look at his other fights, it's like two different people."
His opponent said after the bout: "I want to express my condolences to the relatives and friends of Arrest.
"We all mourn and share your pain. Rest in peace [in the] kingdom of heaven."
The Russian Boxing Federation is said to have requested a check on the quality of work performed by medical staff and organisers of the fight.
Sahakyan had begun his professional career in the ring with five wins, four of which were knockouts, which took place in Thailand and Russia.
He won his sole championship against Theerawat Yoohanngoh in the one eight-round decision of his career before the onset of the coronavirus, and fought twice in one night for his first outing of 2020.
Sahakyan's funeral will take place on January 11 in the Russian city of Togliatti.
