Yo-Sam Choi was a world champion boxer who died in 2008 as a result of injuries sustained while defending his World Boxing Council (WBO) inter-continental flyweight title. Although he defeated his challenger on December 25, 2007, he collapsed shortly after the fight ended. Yo-Sam went into a coma, and was take off life support nine days later. Yo-Sam's heart, liver, kidneys and corneas were donated and brought healing to six people.

Yo-Sam's Story

Yo-Sam was born in 1973 in the town of Jeongeup-si in Jeollabukdo province in South Korea. He started boxing in 1987 when he was a young student. He became a professional boxer in 1993, after completing his schooling at the Yongsan Technical High School in Seoul.

In 1994, Yo-Sam received the Rookie of the Year award in the light flyweight category. He won the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation light flyweight title in 1996 and kept that title through 1998. In 1999, he won the World Boxing Council (WBO) light flyweight title. Yo-Sam retired from boxing in 2004, but returned in 2007, having moved up a weight division. He won the WBO inter-continental flyweight championship in September 2007. A few months later, he defended his title on Christmas Day. He won the fight, but collapsed thereafter and went into a coma.

Yo-Sam was taken to a hospital where he underwent emergency brain surgery, but he never came out of the coma. His heart, liver, kidneys and corneas were donated to six people. The South Korean government awarded Yo-Sam Choi the Baegma Order of Sport Merit award in recognition of his victory and donation of life-saving organs.