I suffered a blood clot on the brain that forced me to quit boxing.. but now I want to conquer Hollywood

UMAR SADIQ has retired from boxing two years after suffering a traumatic brain injury – and now he’s fighting to be a Hollywood star.

The Brit suffered a brutal 12th-round stoppage defeat to former world super-middleweight title challenger Fedor Chudinov in Russia in September 2020.

Umar Sadiq has hung up his glovesCredit: GETTY

The Brit suffered a horrific brain bleed in his 2020 fight with Fedor ChudinovCredit: GETTY

Sadiq ended up being hospitalised after “coughing up blood’Credit: TWITTER@FRANKWARRENTV

Sadiq has given up boxing to try and crack Hollywood

Sadiq was hospitalised after suffering a subdural haematoma – a bleed to the brain – in his short-notice bout with the Russian.

The 34-year-old survived the horrific ordeal and continued to box against the wishes of the British Board of Boxing Control, although he’s since hung up his gloves in order to punch his way into Hollywood.

Sadiq, who now lives in LA with his family, told Boxing Social: “I’m doing amazing things in the short time I’ve been doing this. October 2021, I decided I wanted to be an actor.

“I’m in two different [acting] schools at the same time, I’m essentially a full-time student.

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“Since then, done three short films, one of which I co-produced. I’ve done two plays. I’ve signed with an agent for commercials and print.

“I’ve had a ton of headshots done. I’ve easily done over 90 auditions. My work rate is relentless but a lot of that comes from boxing.”

Sadiq announced his plans to crack Hollywood on Twitter, writing: “I sustained a subdural hematoma (blood between the brain and its outermost covering) in Russia.

“Medical professionals tell me I’m lucky to be healthy.

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“So I’ve decided to completely lean into my childhood dream, stepping out of the boxing ring and into the stage of acting.”

Sadiq made his professional debut in 2017 and went on to win 11 of his 13 pro bouts, with his sole defeats coming at the hands of Zak Chelli and Chudinov.

Although his ill-fated clash with Chudinov essentially ushered him out of the ring, Sadiq has no regrets about taking the short-notice fight.

He said: “My fight against Chudinov was an opportunity I couldn’t pass by especially when it was someone, I felt I had the beating of but then the fight was only confirmed seven days before the fight.

“I had to get visas, get to Russia. I had a great fight, great performance. Ref stopped it in the 12th round rightfully so.”

Although boxing was very much his first love, Sadiq is content with trying to fulfil his dream of becoming an actor.

He said: “[I had to] make a decision whether I want to risk my life, live my life living as a vegetable for the sake of boxing or if I want to explore other things in life.

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“I always wanted to be an actor from when I left school.

“This is my life now. I apply for acting jobs all day, go to acting schools, take lessons, auditioning and auditioning. I’m happy which is the main thing.”

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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk

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