Husband dies during wife’s boxing match

Boxer Sabrina Perez and her husband, trainer Diego Arrua.

Diego Arrua, trainer and husband of boxing superstar Sabrina Perez, died on Friday night as the result of a heart attack suffered during Perez’s championship fight at Auditorio Municipal Fausto Gutierrez in Tijuana, Mexico. He was 58.

Arrua, who was in Perez’s corner during her interim WBC featherweight title bout with Australian Skye Nicolson, collapsed between rounds 9 and 10. Doctors and trainers rushed to his aid, but Arrua was unable to recover from his “devastating” heart attack. He died at the QDEP general hospital.

“It is with deep sadness that we have been informed of the sudden death of Argentine coach Diego [Arrua], who suffered a devastating heart attack during the Sabrina Perez fight in Tijuana,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The medical services did everything possible and he died at the QDEP general hospital.”

Perez, understandably, was not present when the results of her fight were read. Nicolson won by unanimous decision (99-91, 98-92, 97-93).

“RIP Diego. Our thoughts and condolences are with Sabrina Perez and your loved ones,” Matchroom Boxing, who promoted the fight, wrote on X.

Perez had not been informed of her husband’s heart attack until after her bout had concluded.