Mass Brawl Erupts After Boxing Match in Istanbul

A major boxing event in Istanbul concluded in chaos on Saturday evening when a mass brawl erupted inside the ring following the WBC Silver heavyweight title fight between French boxer Mourad Aliev and Turkish contender Umut Camkiran. Aliev won the bout by a unanimous decision after twelve rounds before the situation deteriorated rapidly in front of 15,000 spectators at the Ülker Spor Arena.

The escalation began immediately after the final bell when Aliev celebrated his victory by turning toward the crowd and making an obscene gesture involving his genital area. Promoter Ahmet Öner criticized the provocation, stating that the atmosphere was already extremely tense and that the gesture was entirely unnecessary. Dozens of furious spectators responded to the provocation by storming the ring and attacking the French fighter.

During the ensuing melee, Aliev was struck repeatedly and lost a tooth. Promoter Öner and event organizer Birol Topuz stepped into the ring to shield Aliev from the surging crowd, with Öner sustaining injuries during the scuffle. Security personnel were overwhelmed by the influx of people, forcing Aliev to make a hurried retreat toward the locker rooms while objects and chairs were thrown from the stands.

Leading up to the violent conclusion, the bout itself was marked by high tension and athletic contrast. Aliev utilized his height advantage and improved conditioning, which was boosted by a specialized training camp, to box effectively from the outside. Meanwhile, Camkiran struggled to close the distance consistently, leading to visible frustration that boiled over into a clear foul after the fifth round when he struck Aliev after the bell. Referee and promotional intervention prevented an immediate disqualification, allowing the bout to continue to the judges' scorecards.

Despite the tumultuous finish, Aliev's victory places him in line for future world championship opportunities in the new year, potentially targeting current WBC heavyweight titleholder Agit Kabayel. Öner praised Aliev's technical performance and conditioning during the fight while condemning his unprofessional emotional outburst at the end.

The event featured several other notable bouts on the card. In the co-main event, Italy-Albania's Luis Vela successfully defended his WBC International super lightweight title by stopping Fuad Tarverdi in the eighth round, despite a controversial low blow preceding the stoppage. In other matches, Bosnian heavyweight Ahmed Krnjic defeated Akhmad Mamadjanov, Croatian super middleweight Luka Plantic stopped Ismat Eynullayev, and Greek heavyweight Konstantinos Plateias secured a first-round victory over Kazim Umudov.