Opponent’s trainer says nothing seemed afoul
Mark Greubel said Carlos Iraburo’s knockout of Michael Kirkham at this past Saturday’s “Confrontation at the Convocation Center” wasn’t unlike…
Mark Greubel said Carlos Iraburo’s knockout of Michael Kirkham at this past Saturday’s “Confrontation at the Convocation Center” wasn’t unlike thousands of fights he’d seen before.
Greubel, who trained Iraburo and was in his corner during the fight, also said that the event, which took place at the USC Aiken Convocation Center in Aiken, S.C., was well-managed by its promoters and athletic commission officials.
“I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary or that I could say was suspect,” Greubel today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
Kirkham, 30, failed to regain consciousness after the knockout and was taken to Aiken County Medical Center, where he died Monday morning of a brain hemorrhage, according to the Aiken County Coroner’s office. It was his first professional bout following a six-fight amateur career.
A representative for the Coroner’s office said today that the full results of Kirkham’s autopsy may not be available for several weeks.
Greubel said Iraburo usually fights at 145 pounds and came up in weight to fight Kirkham. However, the 6-foot-9 Kirkham did not look he had cut weight for the 150-pound catchweight contest.