Shara Bullet has revealed he contracted dengue fever during a training camp in Thailand ahead of his fight against Barrio, spending two weeks bedridden with a 40-degree fever, skin sores, and hair loss. He travelled to Abu Dhabi in a weakened state and still managed to win the bout. Following the fight, Bullet required surgery and spent two days unable to sleep as his body remained in a heightened state before he was eventually able to recover.
Shara Bullet has disclosed that he competed against Barrio while seriously ill with dengue fever, revealing the full extent of the health ordeal he endured in the lead-up to and aftermath of the contest.
Bullet said he contracted the mosquito-borne illness during a training camp in Thailand, where he spent two weeks bedridden with a fever reaching 40 degrees Celsius. The illness left him with skin sores and hair loss, and he made the journey to Abu Dhabi in a physically depleted condition. Despite that, he came away with the victory.
The difficulties did not end when the final bell sounded. Bullet disclosed that he required surgery following the fight and then spent two days unable to sleep, his body remaining in a heightened state before he was eventually able to recuperate fully.
Why it matters
- Competing through a serious febrile illness carries significant medical risk, making the result all the more notable.
- The post-fight surgery indicates Bullet absorbed physical damage beyond what the illness alone had inflicted.
- The disclosure adds important context to how the bout unfolded and what Bullet's body was managing throughout fight week.
The account underscores the conditions under which professional fighters sometimes compete, with Bullet choosing to travel and perform rather than withdraw despite a debilitating illness that had kept him out of training for a fortnight.
