A Winnipeg man has died after experiencing a medical emergency during a boxing match at a charity event on Saturday, his boxing club says.
In a statement, the Winnipeg-based United Boxing Club confirmed that 54-year-old Robert Boyko died in what it’s calling a “tragic accident” that occurred while he was boxing during the Corporate Challenge portion of the Melee Gala X charity fundraising event on Saturday night in Winnipeg, which was established by the club in 2013.
United Boxing said Boyko started boxing in the winter of 2024, and in the short time he had been involved in the sport it had a positive impact on many aspects of his life.
“Robert helped motivate and inspire our members at United Boxing Club and he will be deeply missed,” the club said.
The club said it’s reached out to Boyko’s family, and is working with Boxing Canada to provide counselling services.
The United Boxing Club said in the statement that it’s not aware of any failures in the various safety protocols, which include medical examinations at the time of registration, and on the day of competition.
“Matches are made in consideration of factors such as age and weight,” the club said. “Yes, there was medical support at the event, and they acted promptly on the medical emergency.”
In a message sent to CBC Manitoba, Boyko’s sister Karen Lynn said although the family is devastated by his sudden death, they take some solace knowing he spent his last moments doing something that had made him so happy in recent months.
Lynn said that at 54, her brother was the oldest person to ever take part in the Corporate Challenge portion of the Melee Gala X.
“Our hearts are broken, yet there was no holding him back,” Lynn said. “He was determined to support the charity and worked hard to reach this goal in life.”
Boxing Canada executive director Christopher Lindsay told CBC news there will be a thorough review of the incident, describing it as an “anomaly.”
“It is definitely a sad situation all around, and not something that is in the normal course of physical activity among masters athletes or specifically boxing,” Lindsay said.
All competitors on Saturday had seen a doctor during the weigh in who asked several health-related questions, and checked things like blood pressures, Lindsay said.
He added the event included a ringside doctor, who immediately attended to Boyko.
“That ringside doctor has a position of authority within the competition structure, where if at any time they feel that an athlete’s safety is put at risk, they can immediately end the competition,” he said.
The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service confirmed they responded to a call of a medical emergency on Saturday around 9:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Regent Avenue West, and that one person was sent to hospital in critical condition.
Meanwhile, in a social media post on United Boxing Club’s Instagram account from Aug. 1, Boyko said being able to participate in the corporate challenge portion of Melee Gala X charity fundraising event was a “once in a lifetime opportunity” that he was “profoundly grateful” for.
Boyko wrote in the post that when he joined his first class at United Boxing Club on Feb. 24, 2024, he couldn’t even complete a single warm-up lap around the gym.
He wrote that he was 53 years old at the time and hadn’t participated in any type of exercise in over 10 years and had never thrown a punch. The prospect of “reclaiming my health, especially through the sport of boxing, seemed highly unlikely,” he wrote.
“On any given day I am 20 or 30 years older than most everyone else in the gym, but you would never know it by the way I am treated,” he said in the post.
“Not only have I been able to turn back the clock on my health, but I have also regained my confidence and social graces,” he wrote. “I’ve taken up hobbies to study social psychology and quantum physics, and have even begun a foray into online content creation. I might even buy a keyboard.”
Boyko also wrote in the post about overcoming challenges in his personal life and past trauma.
“And know that, no matter the circumstances, you can come back,” he wrote. “Fight to the bell. Make every round count.”
