a university of nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) student died and later succumbed to brain injuries after headlining a fraternity amateur ‘Fight Night’ charity event – and now his family is demanding answers.
About five minutes after taking part in ‘Kappa Sigma Fight Night’ on 19 November, 20-year-old Nathan Valencia collapsed and was taken to hospital.
Doctors confirmed that the college junior was suffering from internal bleeding and brain injuries after being seriously injured in the fight.
Valencia died on 23 November, a few days before his 21st birthday. His organs were donated to eight different people, Sun informed of.
An active member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at UNLV, the kinesiology student registered for the charity event despite having no boxing experience.
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Nathan Valencia, 20, died several days after appearing as the ‘main event’ of ‘Kappa Sigma Fight Night’ at the University of Nevada Las Vegas on November 19 (Picture: Nathan Valencia, left with his girlfriend Lacey Foster) gone) , right)
Valencia collapsed after the fight and was taken to hospital where he later succumbed to brain injuries on the night of the amateur fight (Picture: Valencia fought at the ‘Fight Night’ charity, it is unclear if that photo) Which fighter am I in?
His ‘heartbroken’ family said they are investigating how ‘a 20-year-old ended up in a school-sanctioned amateur fight that cost his life’ (Picture: Valencia on ‘Fight Night’ fought in charity, it is not clear which fighter that photo is)
A GoFundMe page for Valencia’s funeral and medical expenses remembers him as ‘the one smile that lit up every room’
A Flyer For ‘Fight Night’ Lists ‘Emmanuel Allemon Vs Nathan Valencia’ As ‘Main Event’
A flyer for ‘Fight Night’ lists ‘Emmanuel Allemon vs Nathan Valencia’ as the ‘main event’. The event flyer advertised, ‘Come out and support your favorite fighters or have a great time watching the year’s Smack Down.
Valencia’s longtime friend Joe Castro told CBS 8 The event looked like ‘an underground fight club’.
He did not remember that he had sought medical help and said that the fight broke out after Valencia fell.
Castro continued, ‘I haven’t seen any medical, no doctor, nothing.
He said the people were: ‘While doing his job while Nathan was in the ring lying there… it was ridiculous.’
Valencia’s girlfriend Lacey Foster said after the fight: ‘I went there, I just had a weird feeling. I remember in one fight someone’s head gear fell off and then during Nathan’s fight, you could see he was trying to walk away to breathe.’
The Valencia family’s attorney at Richard Harris Law Firm issued a statement announcing that the ‘heartbroken’ family would conduct a ‘full investigation’.
He said during the fight ‘You can see he was just trying to walk away to catch a breath’ (Picture: Nathan Valencia, with his girlfriend Lacey Foster, right)
Valencia was a kinesiology student and an active member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity (Pictured: Nathan Valencia, right, pictured with his Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity brothers)
“Our preliminary investigation shows that mistakes were made and safety precautions were ignored,” the statement said.
‘College students should not be put in a position where they are pitted against each other for a fight. ‘Kappa Sigma Fight Night’ is an event that is held annually and was well known to both UNLV and the national Kappa Sigma fraternity.’
“We will leave no stone unturned to determine how a 20-year-old ended up in a school-sanctioned amateur fight in which he lost his life,” the statement concluded.
CBS 8 showed Hall of Fame boxing referee Richard Steele a video of the fight.
Steele noted several problems with the boxing match. Pointing to Valencia, the professional referee said: ‘Whenever I see a fighter walking away from the fight, the fight is over.’
He also said that the referee was ‘not in the right position most of the time,’ leading him to believe he was not a professional.
The Valencia fraternity posted a tribute on their Instagram: ‘Our brother Nathan has shown us nothing but love and will continue to do so from above. His strength and kindness has never gone unnoticed and we are extremely grateful to have him as a brother.
UNLV President Keith Whitfield issued a statement that appears to distance the university from Valencia’s death, following the ‘Fight Night’ of ‘Kappa Sigma Fraternity’, an off-campus event aimed at raising funds.
spinach made a gofundme Page to raise money for funeral and medical expenses.
Valencia is remembered as having ‘a smile that lit up every room of hers’.
‘Nathan was the kind of person who put others before himself. Anyone who knows him can see how much he cared and loved for his family, friends and himself.’
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