Family of student who died after charity boxing bout sue organisers for £200,000

Mixed · 2The family of Jubel Reji Kurian, a 23-year-old student, are suing the organisers of a charity boxing match for £200,000 over his death in 2023. 1 2 Mixed · 2Mr Kurian died on 29 March 2023, four days after he collapsed in the ring towards the end of the third and final round of an amateur bout at Nottingham's Harvey Haddon Sports Centre; he never regained consciousness and his life support was turned off. 1 2 Mixed · 2His father, Reji Kurian, is suing Ultra Events Ltd, the organiser, on grounds that the contest should have been stopped before the final punch was delivered. 1 2

Mixed · 2The family's barrister, Harry Trusted, told the High Court in London: 'My case boils down to saying that, if that punch had not been delivered, Mr Kurian would have survived.' He accepted the claim would succeed only 'if a sufficient level of carelessness is demonstrated by the defendants'. 1 2 Mixed · 2Ultra Events denies all liability, saying the referee was highly experienced and competent and able to supervise an amateur bout. Its barrister, Daniel Tobin, said Mr Kurian had done more than 33 hours of training at a local boxing gym and that the family would have to prove a 'very high degree of carelessness', which he said was completely absent. 1 2 Left · 1According to Metro, Mr Tobin also said that training was provided by coaches acting for Ultra Events and that boxing is a full contact sport which carries a high risk of serious injury. 2

Mixed · 2The hearing was a preliminary one, before Master John Dagnall according to Metro, in an action due to go to trial next year, and concerned what evidence the trial judge should hear. The family asked to call a referee with over 40 years' experience in amateur and professional boxing to comment on video of the bout. Ultra Events objected that the expert had no specific knowledge of white-collar boxing rules and no medical expertise, and its barrister said there is no regulatory framework for white-collar events with university students for charity. 1 2 Mixed · 2After a short hearing, the judge allowed the evidence to be heard at trial, and Ultra Events may call its own expert. 1 2 Mixed · 2Mr Kurian had moved to Britain six months earlier to study for a master's degree in sports medicine, hoping to become an NHS physiotherapist. His parents flew from the United Arab Emirates to be with him. 1 2

Mixed · 2An inquest in 2024 heard he was competing well before 'the tide turned in the third round'. It found he died from a 'devastating' brain injury, with bleeding on both sides of the brain; Metro reports the coroner ruled he died by accident. 1 2