Kickboxer Succumbs to Head Injury

A kickboxer hit with several punches to the head during a martial arts bout at the Great Western Forum on Saturday has died, the executive officer of the California State Athletic Commission said Tuesday.

Redone Bougara, 23, a native of France who lived in Culver City, died of brain injuries at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in Inglewood, Michael Wells said.

Robert Karns, the doctor assigned to monitor the bout, said the fight was stopped in the 11th round when it appeared Bougara was no longer able to defend himself against Malik Borbashev of Russia.

After Bougara was taken to his dressing room, he became weak and collapsed, Karns said. He was taken to the hospital and underwent brain surgery. Karns said Bougara, married only a week ago, never regained consciousness.

Bougara was knocked out by Borbashev on Oct. 18 and was issued a 45-day suspension, including no-contact training for 30 days.

However, in late November Bougara was knocked out in a bout not supervised by the commission in Friant, Calif., according to promoters of that fight. The commission didn’t learn of that fight until after Saturday’s bout, Karns said.