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Nevada Athletic Commission suspends Torres’ license

Steve Yingling

The Nevada Athletic Commission has temporarily suspended the boxing license of South Lake Tahoe super middleweight Hector Torres because of his brother’s recent medical problems.

Until the 30-year-old Torres undergoes a magnetic resonance imaging test to his brain and is cleared by doctors, he won’t be permitted to fight in Nevada. Torres’ older brother, Juan, 32, has suffered two strokes since pulling out of a Peppermill fight in June.

“This is just to protect him. We want to make sure there’s nothing hereditary,” said NAC Executive Marc Ratner.



Torres, 30, was permitted to fight Carlos Mendez of Sinaloa, Mexico, on Sunday at the Peppermill Casino in Reno, but that was before Ratner learned of Juan Torres’ present condition.

“I found out by personally talking to Hector after the fight,” Ratner said.



Hector Torres understands the commission’s ruling.

“I respect it. It’s like HIV, it’s preventive. I’m taking their advice and can’t fight until the tests are done,” Hector said.

Lightweight Juan Torres, 32, felt dizzy and numbness on his left side prior to his semi-main event with Cesar Bazan on June 24 at the Peppermill. He declined the $10,000 payday and checked into Washoe Medical Center. Doctors learned that Torres was born with excessive blood vessels to his brain, and the strokes followed, leaving the six-time world kickboxing champion with limited use of his left side.

Prior to the commission’s ruling, Hector Torres (7-1-1) earned a six-round decision over Mendez (3-4-1).

“I had him hurt a couple of times, but it was the same as the Mervyn Penniston-John fight where I had him rocking in the ring but I couldn’t finish him off because of my timing and because I have no sparring,” Hector Torres said.

Hector Torres is hoping to get test results back in time to fight on the Nov. 17 Harveys Resort Hotel & Casino card.

“It all depends if I have time to go in (immediately) to get the tests done and if they can get the results back in time,” he said.


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