▪️Carver was sent to the canvas by Salem’s overhand right in the 10th round. He tried four times to climb off the canvas but he couldn’t manage forcing the referee to stop the fight. He died three days later, and in the earlier rounds of the fight, he was head butted several times by Salem
November 28, 2025
Randie Carver was a promising Super Middleweight American boxer climbing the ranks of the division in the hope of one day becoming World Champion. Carver had a record of 23-0-1 going into his fight with Brooklyn based Egyptian, Kabary Salem and Carver’s home town crowd were excited to watch their hero continue on his unbeaten run.
Kabary Salem, had a reputation as a tough, but dirty fighter who had a tendency to headbutt was bound to be a tough opponent to overcome, but many believed Carver’s superior skill and athleticism would be more than enough to get the win.
In the fight footage, Salem was seen head butting Carver numerous times in the early rounds of the fight as well as continuously holding.
Although Salem was deducted a total of 2 points for holding, the head butting went unpunished. Many of those who watched the fight believe the butting was intentional and Salem should have been at the very least penalised and should it have continued, then a disqualification would’ve been the only option.
Carver began to tire and round 10 saw Salem land an overland right and left cross which put Carver down. Carver tried 4 times to climb off the canvas but was in no condition to continue and referee, Ross Strada stopped the fight. It was then that things took a turn for the worse as Carver’s eyes rolled back in his head and he lost consciousness. Paramedics frantically worked on Carver before rushing him to hospital.
Carver underwent brain surgery and was placed on life support but sadly he passed away 3 days later. An inquiry was launched but the Missouri regulators concluded there was no wrongdoing and a lawsuit filed by Carver’s mother against Ross Strada was unsuccessful.
The would not be the last time however, that Salem’s head butting would cause controversy.
In 2004 The WBO Intercontinental contest between Salem and Rudy Markussen would be ruled a No Contest. An apparent accidental head butt by Salem cut Markussen and the fight was stopped.
Later that year, Salem was penalised 2 points for heat butting Mario Veit in the 5th round of their Interim WBO World Super Middleweight contest. Bizarrely, Salem also broke the referee’s nose in the 7th round with an apparent clash of heads.
Again in 2004, Salem challenged WBO Super Middleweight Champion, Joe Calzaghe for the title and deducted a total of 2 points for deliberate heat butting in the 3rd and 11th round.
Salem retired in 2005 after being stopped by Lucian Bute in the 8th round of their contest. Salem came in 5.5lbs overweight and was therefore ineligible for the NABF and WBC Continental Titles up for grabs.
His final record is 23-5 (12 wins by KO).
Source: The Lonliest Sport
