On Sunday, tragedy struck the combat sports community as UFC veteran Tim Hague passed away after being brutally knocked out in a Friday night boxing match.<\/p>\n
Now several days removed from this tragedy, Hague’s opponent Adam Braidwood has broken his silence. Unsurprisingly, the boxer is heartbroken by the way things turned out.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a good thing for anyone involved,\u201d Braidwood said on Canada’s CTV news (via MMAJunkie.com<\/a>). \u201cI want to keep the focus on Tim and his family, especially his son. They\u2019re the real victims here. \u2026 Just keep it about them the best that you can, because I\u2019m still alive.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
A visibly distraught Braidwood then added that he knew something terrible had happened moments after the end of the fight, when both fighters were still in the ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew, man. I knew in the ring,\u201d Braidwood said. \u201cI just saw the way he fell.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
\u201cI waited on my knees for Tim to move after I did my stupid, little celebration. Like, I don\u2019t care about that. People can say what they want. I waited on my knees. I watched him. I picked him up, because his team was struggling to pick him up. I carried him to the corner, and I could see in his face.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Braidwood then commented on widespread comments that the fight should have been stopped far earlier.<\/p>\n
\u201cTim wanted to keep fighting, and that\u2019s what we do,” he said. “If people have delusions about this sport, about what life is really like for someone like me, who has nothing else, they can walk in my shoes. I would\u2019ve done the same thing. And he would\u2019ve done the same thing to me, trust me.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CTVNewsChannel\/videos\/1461693510558642\/<\/p>\n
Braidwood also released a statement on this incident on Twitter, and encouraged fans to donate to a GoFundMe page started by Hague’s family.<\/p>\n
\nRip brother you will live in my heart forever. I will fight for us both now, I know that’s what you would have wanted. pic.twitter.com\/H682h6rwJu<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Adam Braidwood (@BraidwoodBoxing) June 19, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n