Choi Yo-sam (; March 1, 1972 – January 3, 2008) was a

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

world

boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...

champion. He was born in

Jeongeup Jeongeup (), also known as Jeongeup-si, is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. The city limits include Naejang-san National Park, a popular destination particularly in autumn due to its foliage. Jeongeup is on the Honam Expressway and ...

Jeollabukdo North Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollabuk-do''), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Jeolla has a population of 1,869,711 (2015) and has a geographic area of 8,067 km2 (3,115 sq mi) located in the Honam region in the southwest ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

Pro career

Choi turned pro in 1993 and won the Lineal and WBC light flyweight titles in 1999 with a decision win over

Saman Sorjaturong Saman Sorjaturong (born Saman Sriprated on 2 August 1968 in Amphoe Khlong Lan, Kamphaeng Phet province) is a Thai former world boxing champion. Early life He was born in a peasant family in Kamphaeng Phet province, upper central Thailand, with ...

. He successfully defended the titles three times before losing it to

Jorge Arce Jorge Armando Arce Armenta (; born July 27, 1979), best known as Jorge Arce, is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2014. He is a multiple-time world champion, and the second boxer from Mexico to win world titles in ...

by a 6th round technical knockout in 2002. In 2003, he lost a decision to Beibis Mendoza for the interim WBA light flyweight title. In 2004, he moved up in weight to take on

Lorenzo Parra Lorenzo Justiniano Parra Garcia (born August 19, 1978) is a Venezuelan professional boxer who held the WBA flyweight title from 2003 to 2007. He has also challenged for the WBA Super bantamweight title in 2008 and the WBA bantamweight title in 2 ...

for the WBA flyweight title and lost a decision.

Death

On December 25, 2007, he successfully defended the WBO

Intercontinental Intercontinental is an adjective to describe something which relates to more than one continent. Intercontinental may also refer to: * Intercontinental ballistic missile, a long-range guided ballistic missile * InterContinental Hotels Group (IH ...

flyweight Flyweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing above 49 kg (108 lb) and up to 51 kg (112 lb). Professional boxing The flyweight division was the last of bo ...

title with a unanimous decision victory over Heri Amol. In the 12th round, Choi was dropped with five seconds remaining, but beat the count and went on to win the fight (via the fighter saved by bell rule). He collapsed while still in the ring after the bout and was rushed to the

Soonchunhyang University Hospital Soonchunhyang University Hospital is a hospital in Bucheon, South Korea. It is affiliated with Soonchunhyang University. There are several other soonchunhyang hospitals in Seoul, Cheonan Cheonan (; 천안시, ''Cheonan-si''), also spelled Ch'ŏn ...

immediately after the fight in order to undergo emergency brain surgery. Choi was pronounced brain-dead on January 2, 2008, and died on January 3, 2008, when he was removed from a

ventilator A ventilator is a piece of medical technology that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently. Ventilators ...

. LeeSSang made a song dedicated to him in their 5th album called CHAMPION. His organs were donated to six patients with approval from his family. This action led the South Korean Government to award Choi with a medal.

References

External links

*
Looking at Yo Sam Choi

{{DEFAULTSORT:Choi, Yo-sam 1972 births 2008 deaths Deaths due to injuries sustained in boxing World Boxing Council champions World light-flyweight boxing champions World Boxing Organization champions Sport deaths in South Korea South Korean male boxers People from Jeongeup Sportspeople from North Jeolla Province

Pro career

Death

See also

References

External links