Jeanette Zacarias Zapata Death Video: Watch Young Boxer's Fatal Last Fight That Knocked Her Out Unconscious
A young boxer passed away after being knocked out unconscious during a boxing match at IGA Stadium in Montreal, Canada.
According to the Associated Press, 18-year-old Jeanette Zacarias Zapata sustained brain injuries during her fight with 31-year-old Marie-Pier Houl last weekend.
The sporting event's organizer, Groupe Yvon Michael, also took to social media to confirm the boxer's death by writing, "It is with great sadness and torment that we learned, from a representative of her family, that Jeanette Zacarias Zapata passed away this afternoon at 3:45 pm."
Zapata's fight was caught on camera and circulated online, showing her being hit with several punches from Houl near the end of round four. (watch the video below)
The boxer appears to shudder after Houle landed an uppercut causing her mouthguard to fly out. Following this, her partner and trainer, Jovanni Marquez, immediately laid her down in the ring.
The emergency team aided her, and she was taken to a hospital afterwards.
In a separate briefing, the president of the boxing match's event organizer said the Mexican boxer was placed in a medically induced coma to relax her brain and body. Zapata passed away after five days.
Per CBC, Zapata also got knocked out last May in Mexico, leading her to undergo several neurological examinations.
Marie-Pier Houle Speaks Out
After the fight, her opponent took to Facebook to release a statement saying the event "really upsets her."
"Boxing carries a lot of risks and dangers. This is our job, our passion. [It was] never [my] intention to seriously hurt an opponent." She wrote, translated in English.
Then on Thursday, after Zapata's untimely passing, Houle released a statement again, written in Spanish and French, saying she's devastated.
"I offer my most sincere condolences to her family and her husband Jovanni Martinez." Houle added.
Jeanette Zacarias Zapata's Death Causes Internet Uproar
Following the boxer's death, many fans expressed their thoughts on banning headshots in boxing matches.
"This won't stop until we find a way to break the known laws of physics or ban headshots in boxing and only the latter is possible," one wrote.
"She was 18 YO. Boxing is a monstrous sport where the objective is to inflict harm on another human being. Horrendous," another one wrote.
"That is horrifying. Pretty sure ref likely could've ended the fight earlier. But honestly, given these risks are quite present in things like boxing & UFC, makes you question why we even encourage and watch this s***? It's like modern day Gladiators," one tweeted.
