Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Athletic Commission wants oversight of university-related boxing events after UNLV student’s death

Nathan Valencia

Courtesy of family of Nathan Valencia

Nathan Valencia and his girlfriend, Lacey Foster, are shown in this undated photo. Valencia, 20, died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center on Nov. 23, days after participating in a charity boxing match sponsored by a UNLV fraternity.

Updated Monday, Dec. 13, 2021 | 11:20 a.m.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted today to adopt an emergency regulation governing combat sport competitions hosted by fraternities and other university-affiliated entities after a UNLV student died last month from injuries suffered in a charity boxing event.

The commission, which voted 5-0, will seek an emergency order from Gov. Steve Sisolak’s office, according to a meeting agenda.

State law now exempts school, college or university organizations from the commission’s jurisdiction.

“While we must work in our statutory framework, the regulation here today will close some holes in the system that allow fraternities and similar organizations to evade oversight,” commission Chairman Stephen Cloobeck said.

Nathan Valencia, 20, collapsed in the ring at a Fight Night event Nov. 19 promoted by UNLV’s Kappa Sigma fraternity at the off-campus Sahara Event Center.

Valencia was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, and succumbed to his injuries three days later.

Metro Police said the circumstances surrounding the death were not criminal and no charges will be filed.

“It’s now incumbent upon us to honor Nathan Valencia’s memory by protecting Nevada’s college students from similar events in the future,” Cloobeck said.

The commission will seek avenues during the next legislative session to codify the emergency order into law, he said. It will be called Nathan’s Law.

Ed Magaw, deputy Nevada attorney general, said the regulation would be enforceable with criminal penalties.

Officials at the meeting also played a 911 recording in which a caller sought help after Valencia collapsed in the ring.

“He is in the ring,” an unidentified female caller said. “We only have like eight people here in the ring. Everyone else is out. We have nurses here, but we need, like, real medical.”

The Clark County Coroner’s Office determined Valencia died of blunt force head trauma.

UNLV has suspended the Kappa Sigma fraternity pending an investigation by the university’s Office of Student Conduct. Valencia was representing the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in the main event of the night.

Kappa Sigma’s national organization began a review today of whether its "internal policies and standards of conduct were followed” by the UNLV chapter, fraternity executive Mitchell Wilson said.

“Kappa Sigma Fraternity expects all of our chapters to conform with all applicable state and local laws,” Wilson said in a statement.