A success story of the Jose Sulaiman Fund: Frida Wallberg

Swedish fighter Frida Wallberg, former WBC super featherweight champion, is undoubtedly one of the most famous boxers in her country.

As an amateur she won 48 bouts before turning professional in 2004. On November 27, 2010, Frida defeated Canadian Olivia Gerula, winning the WBC Green and Gold title and successfully defended it twice, including a victory over Amanda Highlander.

The opponent she was facing at the Waterfront Congress SAS Radisson, Stockholm, was Diana Prazak from Australia.

Frida was ahead on the scorecards after five rounds and was boxing well. Then, in the seventh round, a hard right hand staggered her, but she bravely defended herself and returned to her corner when the bell rang.

In the eighth Diana knocked Frida down with a left hand. Frida beat her count and got up, but moments later a short right hook from her knocked her down again.

Referee Bela Florian stopped the fight and Frida staggered to her corner to be examined by ring doctor Robert Ludwig.

She collapsed moments later and Diana’s trainer, former boxing champion Lucia Rijker, realized something was very wrong.

She immediately called the doctor again, they placed Frida on a stretcher, administered oxygen and rushed her to the Karolinska Institute.

She had suffered a subdural hematoma, which is bleeding between the skull and the brain. The surgeons operated on her and Frida was placed in an induced coma.

They saved her life, but with an injury of this nature, her boxing career ended, and her life changed forever.

The World Boxing Council, through the José Sulaimán Fund, was in Frida’s corner from the first moment of her accident, supporting her with a financial amount since 2013 to be able to cover therapy expenses and basic needs.

In an interview a few months ago Frida commented: “The support from the José Sulaimán fund has been very helpful, since my previous manager did not take the precaution of having any type of insurance in Sweden.

“I support myself with compensation from the Swedish Social Security Agency and without a doubt the fund is a great help for those of us who need it. I hope to continue feeling better and be able to have a good daily life, with my three children and fewer headaches.

“ But, the most important thing is that I don’t give up! Thank you for everything you are doing for me and for the boxers who need it. You have no idea how much of some help you have been. It means a lot.”

Currently the WBC was notified that our beloved champion already has permission from the Swedish government to work and is working part-time, generating income to have a good life with her beautiful family.

This is undoubtedly a great success story for the José Sulaimán Champions Fund, which since it was created 11 years ago has provided more than $2 million dollars in support to fighters and former fighters from Nicaragua, Sweden, Argentina, Thailand, China , Colombia, Spain, United States, Philippines, Panama, Mexico among many other countries.

Let us remember that the José Sualaimán Fund, which is independently administered by the Nevada Community Foundation, supports boxers and former boxers who face economic difficulties and hardship regardless of which organization they belonged to and the level they reached during their career.