YEKATERINBURG, June 26 (RAPSI) – A Russian boxer at one of the best clubs in Moscow has been found guilty of negligently causing the death of a man in the Sverdlovsk Region and sentenced to 12 months restricted custody, a local investigative officer said.
The prosecutor had asked for a term of 16 months for boxer Valery Tretyakov, while the defense attorney argued he should be released because he was acting within the limits of justifiable self-defense.
"The boxer has been sentenced to one year in restricted custody," the source said, and also has to pay 300,000 rubles ($9,170) to the deceased man's relatives. He will be banned from leaving home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., or leaving the area where he lives, and must register with the police every month.
According to investigators, on the night of October 21, 2012, Tretyakov and his brother got into an argument with a young man on the porch of a café in the city of Kamensk-Uralsky in the Sverdlovsk Region.
The young man was the first to hit the boxer from behind the café's former security guard, who was standing in front of him. The boxer hit back at least twice, the blows landing on the attacker's head. The young man fell, hitting his head on the asphalt, and died at the scene.
Tretyakov absconded but two days later surrendered to police, who ordered him not to leave town. The boxer's actions were classified as manslaughter, which is punishable by up to two years in prison. In his final statement, Tretyakov asked for forgiveness from the victim’s relatives.
The case parallels that of Rasul Mirzayev, a promising mixed martial arts fighter who was convicted on similar charges in February. He was undefeated in the ring and two of his five victories were won with knockouts.
Mirzayev was initially charged with intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm which resulted in death. During their fight outside a popular Moscow nightclub, student Ivan Agafonov, 19, received a blow to the head and collapsed. He died in hospital days later without regaining consciousness.
Mirzayev was eventually convicted of manslaughter and was released on the basis of time served.
On August 16, 2011, Mirzayev made headlines in the MMA world following the incident (but before his arrest), for signing a professional multi-fight contract with Bellator Fighting Championships.
Updated at 5:00 p.m., changing sentence from prison to restricted custody, with explanation of terms.
