Former Brazilian boxer José Adilson Maguila died at the age of 66 on Thursday (24). One of the top heavyweights and owner of one of the most powerful right punches in Brazilian boxing, he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known as pugilistic dementia, diagnosed in 2013.
Maguila was born on July 11, 1958, in Aracaju, Sergipe. Over his 17-year career, he had a record of 85 fights, 77 wins (61 by knockout), seven losses, and one technical draw. With his charismatic style and folkloric interviews, he captivated the audience. Among the most notable fights of his career were the clashes with names like Evander Holyfield and George Foreman.
His interest in boxing began in Aracaju, watching fights of Éder Jofre and, especially, Muhammad Ali. In a house full of siblings, Maguila watched his idol’s fights on a black-and-white TV at a neighbor’s house. Years later, he became heavyweight champion, in the same category as Ali.
“I got interested in boxing because I was always a fan of Muhammad Ali. He used to say: I’m going to box. I liked him a lot. When I started watching, we didn’t even have a TV at home,” he told a Brazilian TV in 2015.
He started training in 1979, and his first fight came two years later, in 1981. It was at the “Forja de Campeões,” the largest boxing event in Brazil, held since 1941.
Outside the ring, in 2009, he released the album “Vida de Campeão,” featuring the title track he authored and recordings of famous sambas. He also worked on TV, including as an economic commentator.
A samba fan, Maguila was honored when he became the theme of the samba school “Me Chama Que Eu Vou” in the 2021 virtual parade.
In 2013, he was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. It is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease caused by blows to the head. Besides Maguila, it has affected other great names in sports, such as boxer and world champion Éder Jofre and defender Bellini, who won the 1958 World Cup with Brazil.
At first, the symptoms seemed like common forgetfulness of wallets and keys. Until the situations became more serious and dangerous, like when the former fighter left home, got lost, and became disoriented.
After obtaining the family’s consent, the former boxer agreed in 2018 to donate his brain for research after his death. It will be a similar initiative to that of Bellini’s family. The organ will be analyzed at the University of São Paulo. A team from the institution studies the consequences of repeated impacts to the head in sports like football, boxing, and rugby, among others. This in-depth study is considered essential for the development of preventive measures.
Source: Globo.com