Júnior Ahzura, son of José Adilson Rodrigues dos Santos, the Maguila (1958-2024), opened up about the death of the former boxer. The heir recalled his last meetings with his father and revealed that their relationship had undergone a positive transformation. “I would come to visit him, his eyes would shine,” he said.

In an interview with Globo’s Fantástico, Ahzura and Irani Pinheiro, Maguila’s widow, commented on his death. After receiving repeated blows to the head during his career, the former athlete was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive neurodegenerative disease.

“Everyone says there’s something funny to remember him by… He has this place of bringing joy, it was something very natural”, reflected the son. “My father was this simple person, with such a critical and respectful outlook, with respect for others. It was his”, the young man continued.

Irani commented on Maguila’s desire to donate his brain for study after his death. Scientists from USP (University of São Paulo) study repetitive impacts on athletes’ heads. “The medical team talked to me. He was fine, he said: ‘You can do this'”, explained the widow.

Before ending the interview, Júnior Ahzura spoke about his last meetings with his father. “He left marks of breaking many barriers. At the end of his life, our relationship was transformed, the love that already existed was inflamed, positively. I would arrive to visit him, his eyes would shine. He was a fighter, literally “, added the heir.

Marriage with Irani

Irani spent 40 years at Maguila’s side. During their time together, the two faced some challenges, including episodes of prejudice. In his biography, Maguila even stated that the woman’s father had not approved of their relationship. “The old man was racist,” he wrote.

The two got married when she was just 17 years old. At the time, she was accused of acting out of interest when having a relationship with him, who was already 25 years old. Before Maguila’s diagnosis, who suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, was publicly revealed, Irani was accused of mistreating her then partner. He, in turn, distanced himself from the media and did not usually give interviews on the subject.