World
Two Brazilian politicians resort to boxing ring to solve political differences
Brazilian politicians fight each other in three-round MMA brawl after row over conservation in Amazonian region
Brasília: Two Brazilian politicians from the Amazon region have settled their differences in the boxing ring, raising concerns about the increasingly hostile nature of Brazil’s democracy.
According to the UK’s newspaper ‘MailOnline’, a Brazilian mayor decided to try and settle his political differences with a councillor through an MMA fight – and was pronounced the winner despite being taken down.
Simao Peixoto, 39, mayor of the city of Borba in the northwestern Brazilian state of Amazonas, stepped into the ring to tackle his disagreement with former councillor Erineu Alvas Da Silva, 45, also known as Mirico, on Sunday.
Peixoto entered the ring at around 2.30am carrying a towel stamped with the name 'Jesus' before approaching his rival.
Footage of the 13-minute fight, which was livestreamed by Mr Peixoto's team, shows the two men sparring as the roaring live crowd cheers on from the sides.
The political rivals can be seen running around the ring as they try to land a hit on each other and a referee watches.
The mayor emerged victorious after three rounds although Mirico stunned at the beginning with a flurry of impressive low kicks.
Regional website Fato Amazônico reported: 'The mayor took such a beating his jaw dropped.'
The brawl reportedly kicked off after Da Silva criticised the mayor's management of Balneário Lima, a water park in the city, and demanded a fight in a video posted online this September, according to local news site BNC.
Peixoto responded with his own video accepting the challenge, facing the camera with a stoic face and fists at the ready.
On his Facebook page he wrote: 'I'm not a street fighter … I'm the mayor of the municipality of Borba.
'But if he really wants to fight … we're ready to fight … I've always been a winner.'
The mayor then shared yet another clip of him preparing for the fight, showing off a series of high kicks and punches.
Local media reported that tickets for the fight were selling for R$100.
At the end of the fight Mr Peixoto reportedly said that he had accepted the 'challenge' from his main rival so as to encourage people to take up sports in the city.
However spectators in the crowd reportedly shouted 'stitch up' following the result, according to Fato Amazônico.