Boxing champion Denis Boytsov dead at 40

Denis Boytsov tragically dead at 40

By Tim Rickson21 Oct 2026 · 2 min read

Russian boxer Denis Boytsov has died at just 40-years-old

Denis Boytsov (36-1, 27 KOs) lost just once in an 11-year, 37-fight career. His amateur record was equally impressive at 115-15.

Born Denis Nikolayevich Boytsov on 14 February 1986 in Oryol, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union, the champion boxer sadly passed away on 17 October 2026 at the young age of 40.

On 3 May 2015, Boytsov was found unconscious in a Berlin subway tunnel. Due to a severe head injury, he was placed in a medically induced coma for seven weeks. Ramzan Kadyrov agreed to cover Boytsov's medical bills after his bank accounts were blocked.

Boytsov lived in Germany for more than 10 years before the accident, which was initially related to his boxing activities, as he received multiple death threats in 2013. A German court later ruled that Boytsov fell on tracks while being intoxicated.

Tributes poured in at the announcement of Boytsov's death.

"The World Boxing Council and its President, Mauricio Sulaimán, express their deepest condolences on the passing of Denis Boytsov, a prominent former WBC Youth Heavyweight Champion and once, one of the brightest prospects in the division worldwide.

"At age 40, the former heavyweight passed away at his family home in Orel, Russia, following a medical emergency attributed to a blood clot. With this, a decade-long struggle to reclaim his life came to a tragic end.

"In May 2015, at the age of 29 and at the peak of his career, he suffered a tragic incident in the Berlin subway that left him with severe head injuries. Although German prosecutors concluded it was an accident, the neurological damage proved devastating and permanent, taking away his ability to walk and speak, and permanently ending his boxing career.

"Boytsov spent years in rehabilitation in Germany and later in Russia under the care of his family, fighting an admirable personal battle for his health. Today, the boxing world remembers his dedication and the immense talent he showcased inside the squared circle."