Sharabutdin Magomedov has revealed that he contracted dengue fever during training camp in Thailand ahead of his fight with Barriero last year, spending two weeks bedridden with a 40-degree fever, skin sores, and hair loss. He flew to the event without being able to train in the final stretch, competed, and then went directly into surgery afterward — spending two full days unable to sleep following the operation. Magomedov said he could not breathe properly for two weeks after the surgery but has now fully recovered.
Sharabutdin Magomedov has opened up about the severe health ordeal he endured in the lead-up to his fight against Barriero last year, revealing he contracted dengue fever during a training camp in Thailand and competed despite being far from physically ready.
Magomedov described spending two weeks bedridden with a fever reaching 40 degrees Celsius, while also suffering skin sores and significant hair loss. The illness wiped out the final stretch of his preparation, leaving him unable to train before he boarded a flight to compete. Despite the circumstances, he went ahead with the bout.
The situation did not end there. Magomedov went directly into surgery following the fight, and the recovery proved grueling in its own right. He spent two full days unable to sleep after the operation and then endured two further weeks struggling to breathe properly as his body worked through the aftermath of the procedure.
Why it matters
- The disclosure adds significant context to where Magomedov was physically during the Barriero contest, a fight that now must be viewed through the lens of a compromised camp.
- Competing through dengue fever — a potentially serious illness capable of causing severe fatigue, pain, and immune suppression — while also facing imminent surgery represents an unusual level of physical adversity for any professional fighter.
- Magomedov confirmed he has now made a full recovery, which will be the more relevant detail for anyone tracking his prospects going forward.
The revelation speaks to the hidden pressures fighters often absorb before stepping into competition, conditions that rarely surface until well after the fact. Magomedov chose to compete rather than withdraw, and only now is the full picture of that decision becoming clear.
