Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev dies after fight

Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev has died from brain injuries sustained in a fight in Maryland, the Russian boxing federation announced on Tuesday.

"Maxim Dadashev has died in the United States following injuries sustained during his fight with Subriel Matias," the federation said in a statement.

The 28-year-old underwent emergency brain surgery in Washington after his super-lightweight bout with Puerto Rican Matias on Friday was stopped after the 11th round by his cornerman James "Buddy" McGirt.

Dadashev, known as "Mad Max", was unable to walk to the dressing room and was immediately hospitalised. Doctors operated to relieve pressure from swelling on his brain.

McGirt, who said after the fight he "couldn't convince" his fighter to stop but opted to throw in the towel when he saw him "getting hit with more and more clean shots as the fight went on," told ESPN on Tuesday he was wracking his brain wondering if he could have done things differently.

"It just makes you realize what type of sport we're in, man," McGirt told ESPN -- which streamed the fight on its ESPN+ platform.

"He did everything right in training, no problems, no nothing. My mind is like really running crazy, right now. Like what could I have done differently? But at the end of the day, everything was fine (in training).

"He seemed OK, he was ready, but it's the sport that we're in. It just takes one punch, man."