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MMA fighter ‘throws match’ after threatened in locker room
Brazilian Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Leonardo Barbosa Paes Barreto has claimed that he threw his fight against Afghan fighter Ahmad Wali Hotak on February 11, after being threatened by a gunman in Kabul, the MMA Fighting reported.
The match was held on February 11 at the Ghazi Stadium in Kabul.
Hotak managed to knock out Barbosa in the second round of the fight.
But later, Barbosa said on Facebook that he was approached by an armed man in the locker room and threatened.
The MMA Fighting reported that the Facebook post has been set as private after Barbosa received several messages from “aggressive” Afghan people calling him a “liar.”
Barbosa told MMA Fighting that a man entered his locker room that evening and “started screaming things” in his native language.
Barbosa couldn’t understand a word he was saying. He did understand the message, however, when this man allegedly showed him he was carrying a gun.
The Brazilian said he later spotted the man “in the VIP area during the fight, real close to the cage.”
“He kept screaming, extremely aggressive. He got closer to the cage in between rounds and started saying something similar to what he had said in the locker room, only more aggressive. I was winning the fight, I won the first round well, my opponent had a broken nose and needed surgery the next day, and I think I would have won, but I felt unable to do anything in that fight,” Barbosa said.
“And then that happened. I threw the fight,” he admits.
“I came back different for the second round, a series of things were going through my mind. I have a son, I have a family. Him killing me wasn’t my biggest fear because the repercussion would be huge, but I don’t know, people there are a bit complicated. It’s complicated, really. That region is still at war, there are terrorist attacks going on and people are kind of used to that now. A car exploded while I was there and they simply isolated the street, the army put a detour to another street and that’s it,” he stated.
Barbosa stated in a video message that Wali Hotak should not be blamed for what happened in the locker room.
“My opponent Hotak was not to blame for what happened, that fan was crazy,” Barbosa said.
He added: “I know the Afghan people do not agree on this type of attitude and that we will do the rematch and we are going to give the show that the TGFC event deserves and the public deserves,” he noted.
“I wait for the date of rematch,” Barbosa stated.
Hotak, however, denied Barbosa’s claims, calling it a “rumor.” He stated that he won the fight.
The TGFC officials also denied the report. However, they stated the rematch would be held in Dubai.
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Turkish ministers to visit Pakistan amid fragile truce with Afghanistan: Erdogan
The visit aims to help secure a lasting truce and promote peace between Islamabad and Kabul.
A high-level Turkish delegation comprising the foreign and defense ministers as well as the intelligence chief will travel to Pakistan this week to discuss ongoing efforts toward a ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Sunday.
According to an official readout of Erdogan’s remarks made aboard his return flight from Baku — where he met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — the visit aims to help secure a lasting truce and promote peace between Islamabad and Kabul.
Erdogan said Türkiye is “closely following the terrorist attacks in Pakistan and the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” expressing hope that the talks mediated by Ankara would lead to “lasting stability” in the region.
He added that Türkiye and Pakistan are also seeking to deepen cooperation in multiple sectors, particularly trade, energy, and defense industries.
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Afghan and Iranian foreign ministers discuss regional issues in phone call
Muttaqi also noted that during the third round of discussions, the Pakistani side had been unwilling to take responsibility for certain issues, which hindered progress and prevented concrete outcomes.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, held a telephone conversation on Sunday with his Iranian counterpart, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, focusing on bilateral relations and key regional developments.
According to a statement from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two ministers exchanged views on the recent Afghanistan-Pakistan talks in Istanbul, as well as broader efforts to strengthen cooperation and stability in the region.
Araghchi underscored the importance of resolving differences between Kabul and Islamabad through diplomatic dialogue and reiterated Iran’s readiness to assist in facilitating constructive engagement between the two neighboring countries.
In turn, Muttaqi said that the Afghan delegation had taken part in the Istanbul talks under the guidance of the Islamic Emirate’s leadership, with a focus on achieving a peaceful and negotiated settlement to ongoing tensions. He emphasized that Afghanistan remains committed to resolving disputes through diplomacy and mutual understanding.
Muttaqi also noted that during the third round of discussions, the Pakistani side had been unwilling to take responsibility for certain issues, which hindered progress and prevented concrete outcomes.
The conversation highlighted both countries’ shared interest in promoting regional stability and expanding cooperation across political and economic fronts.
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Erdogan meets Sharif, urges Pakistan, Afghanistan to uphold ceasefire
During a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Baku on Saturday, Erdogan said Türkiye is “closely following the terrorist attacks in Pakistan and the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emphasized the need to maintain the ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, according to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.
During a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Baku on Saturday, Erdogan said Türkiye is “closely following the terrorist attacks in Pakistan and the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
He expressed hope that the talks being held under Türkiye’s mediation would lead to lasting stability in the region and affirmed Ankara’s continued support for the process.
Erdogan noted that Türkiye and Pakistan are deepening cooperation across various sectors, including trade, energy, and defense. He also stressed the importance of sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza and called for ongoing engagement through the United Nations framework.
Both leaders were in Baku to attend Azerbaijan’s Victory Day ceremony on November 8, where they observed a military parade marking the occasion.
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