Shara Bullet has revealed he contracted dengue fever during a training camp in Thailand ahead of his fight with Barrio, spending roughly two weeks bedridden with a fever of 40°C, skin sores, and hair loss. He returned to training prematurely, found himself physically unable to perform, and then relapsed with another fever before flying to Abu Dhabi. Despite arriving in poor physical condition, he went on to win the bout, after which he was taken directly to surgery and spent two days unable to sleep.
Shara "Bullet" Magomedov has disclosed that he fought through a serious bout of dengue fever during his preparation for the victory over Barrio, revealing the full extent of the physical ordeal he endured in the weeks leading up to the contest.
Magomedov said he contracted the illness while training in Thailand, where the virus left him bedridden for approximately two weeks. His temperature reached 40 degrees Celsius, and he suffered skin sores and significant hair loss during that period. Attempting to return to training before he had fully recovered, he found himself physically incapable of performing at any meaningful level.
The situation worsened when he relapsed with a second fever before he was due to fly to Abu Dhabi for the fight. He boarded the plane in poor physical condition and arrived at the event still compromised by the illness.
Despite all of that, Magomedov went on to win the bout. The aftermath was equally difficult. He was taken directly to surgery following the fight and spent two days without sleep as he recovered from the combined toll of the illness and the contest itself.
Why it matters
- Dengue fever is a serious mosquito-borne illness that can cause prolonged fatigue, joint pain, and internal complications, making any high-level athletic competition during or shortly after infection extremely dangerous.
- The disclosure reframes the Barrio performance, which now stands as a victory achieved under circumstances far more difficult than publicly known at the time.
- Magomedov's willingness to compete while so severely compromised raises broader questions about fighter health protocols, particularly for athletes who train abroad and then travel internationally to compete on short timelines.
