J. Paul (left) ran over B. Askren (right) in a boxing superfight. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter @triller
Former UFC, ONE Championship and Bellator fighter Ben Askren faces his toughest battle outside the octagon. The 40-year-old American has been hospitalized in critical condition since last Saturday (7), suffering from severe pneumonia that has left him unable to respond to stimuli, according to an official statement from his wife, Amy Askren. His condition is worsened by a bacterial infection by staphylococcus, a common complication in contact athletes.
Amy described the situation on social media about the matter and asked for prayers for the case. The family also prioritizes privacy.
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“He developed severe pneumonia that came on suddenly. He is currently in the hospital unable to respond to anything,” his wife wrote.
The problem is said to have started as a skin infection (staph), common in high-contact sports, before progressing to lung complications.
Ben Askren is a former UFC fighter and was champion in Bellator and ONE
Askren is no ordinary name in the fighting scene. An undefeated champion in Bellator (four title defenses) and ONE Championship (three defenses between 2014 and 2017), he built a career of 19 wins and only two losses (313). His transfer to the UFC in 2018, in exchange for Demetrious Johnson, was a milestone in exchanges between promotions.
His time at the world's leading MMA organization, however, was brief: a controversial victory over Robbie Lawler, followed by lightning defeats to Jorge masvidal (knockout in 5 seconds) and Demian Maia, who brought forward their retirement in 2019. The only experience in boxing, against the youtuber Jake Paul in 2021, it ended with a knockout in the first round.
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