Retired Boxer Sues JAY-Z and Roc Nation Sports Over Brain Injuries
Written by SOURCE on May 22, 2019
Daniel Franco is preparing to duke it out with Roc Nation Sports.
The former boxer is suing the management agency over brain injuries he sustained in 2017, just two years after he allegedly signed to Roc Nation Sports with a 10-0-3 record. Franco claims the defendants forced him to participate in three fights within a 79-day period, despite his lack of preparation.
Franco allegedly asked Roc Nation to postpone a March 23, 2017, fight because he had come down with the flu and had not properly trained for three weeks. According to legal documents obtained by The Blast, the featherweight boxer was told he “must go forward with the fight,” which he ultimately lost by TKO.
The second match took place on May 12, and the third on June 10. The ex-boxer says he believes he entered the third fight with two fractures in his skull and a brain bleed, which could’ve been detected had he received a proper medical evaluation. Franco lost the June 10 match to Jose Haro, getting knocked out in the eighth round. Shortly after, Franco allegedly went into a coma after he suffered a brain hemorrhage. The suit states doctors had to surgically remove a part of his skull to relieve pressure.
Franco came out of the coma two weeks later, but says he is still suffering from physical and cognitive issues. Franco also claims he must now wear a protective helmet to prevent further damage to his brain.
“Had an MRI or other brain imaging been performed, the fractures and hemorrhage would have been discovered prior to the June 10, 2017 fight, necessitating a cancellation,” the suit states.
The plaintiff is suing Roc Nation, JAY-Z, and Live Nation for negligence, and is seeking unspecified damages.
