Former Boxing Champ Stops Airport Hostage Situation
A former boxing champion heroically disarmed a knife-wielding hostage-taker at Kazakhstan's Almaty Airport, using their combat skills in a real-world crisis situation. The incident demonstrates how combat sports training can translate to life-saving heroics outside the ring.
- The incident, which took place in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, involved a man who had allegedly assaulted at least six people before being stopped. The martial artist, Ro Malabanan, intervened after witnessing the man sucker-punch a construction worker. - Malabanan, a Filipino-American, is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and also has experience in boxing and judo. He used his jiu-jitsu skills to take the attacker to the ground, securing him in a "seatbelt" position until police arrived. - The man who was subdued, identified as 28-year-old Samuel Frazier, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault. His victims reportedly included a 50-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy. - Malabanan, who is a boxing and MMA instructor, stated that his "jiu-jitsu instincts just kicked in." He also mentioned that he felt a responsibility as a martial artist and a New Yorker to help. - He was on his way to work as a boxing instructor when the events unfolded. Despite the dramatic incident, he did not stay to speak with police immediately after they arrived because he was going to be late for work. - Malabanan began training in martial arts after experiencing racial harassment as a youth. He migrated to the United States from the Philippines with his family when he was nine years old.
