Oak Park Police Investigate Viral Video of High School Wrestler Sucker Punching Opponent

It’s a violent and unexpected end to a wrestling match, and video from it is going viral.

In a clip captured by The Wrestling Spot, the wrestler in blue appears to go shake the winner’s hand but punches him instead. It all happened at a meet at Oak Park River Forest High School.

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The 14-year-old who was sucker punched in the video said he’s doing better and recovering. He said he doesn’t want this moment caught on video, to diminish his achievements.

It’s the punch that’s gone viral. Video from The Wrestling Spot shows 14-year-old Cooper Corder extending his hand to his opponent Hafid Alicea, after Alicea lost their freestyle match, 14-2. As Alicea extends his hand, pretending to get ready to shake, he punches Corder in the face instead, deviating his septum.

Hafid Alicea of Maine West (IL) throws a sucker punch at the line… #wtf pic.twitter.com/9m4HAxl2oF

— The Wrestling Room (Pat Mineo) (@MrPatMineo) April 14, 2023

“I didn’t want to retaliate, obviously, and I didn’t want to get hit again,” said high school wrestler Cooper Corder. “So as soon as it happened, my first reaction is ‘I gotta ball up. I got to get away from what just happened.”

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The teens were taking part in the Beat the Streets Chicago tournament on April 8 in Oak Park. The organization is dedicated to teaching wrestling and life skills to young people. The teens were from visiting clubs outside the nonprofit’s program. {snip}

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Corder is a highly decorated young wrestler, having won more than 500 matches since the age of four. He and his mother said they don’t want the now viral video, seen more than two million times, to take away from his accomplishments and the dedication he has for wrestling.

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