Judge overturns suspension of NJ high school wrestling champ, allowing him to compete for 4th title
HOLMDEL, New Jersey (WABC) -- Days after he was told his high school wrestling career was over, a three-time New Jersey State champ, has been reinstated.
Anthony Knox Jr. is one of the nation's top wrestlers on the high school level, but he was disqualified from the NJ State Interscholastic Athletic Association State Wrestling Championships for his involvement in a brawl in the crowd last weekend.
The brawl occurred at the District 25 wrestling meet in Collingswood. Knox Jr. -- a three-time champion -- after his match saw his father, Anthony, surrounded by a group of hostile parents from opposing schools. He rushed into the crowd to stand with his dad.
Knox Jr.'s father, Anthony, is a former MMA fighter himself. He says the instigators had been shouting derogatory remarks at his family and the team, all while asking the heckler to stop.
The incident led the NJ State Interscholastic Athletic Association to suspend Knox Jr. for leaving the bench.
But Knox's family appealed, arguing there was no designated bench for wrestlers and that it was wrong to punish the student-athlete for the actions of parents.
On Friday afternoon, a judge overturned his suspension, allowing him to compete in the regional tournament this weekend and next week's State Championship.
"It's hard to put words together to say how grateful I am to have the opportunity to do what I love, especially on this big of a stage as this is right now," Knox Jr. said.
In a statement, an NJSIAA said they respect the decision made by the Mercer County court, but "strongly disagree with it" and will be appealing and considering "all other options."
Knox Jr. won twice on Friday after being able to compete in the regional high school wrestling match.
"I feel like that was the first match in my life where I feel like I was the underdog. At the beginning, before the hearing yesterday he told me that I had probably a 5 to 10 percent chance. And now that I've won the first part of this it's bumped up to having a 95 percent to being able to compete and finish this out. It's really good," Knox Jr. said.
His father meanwhile had heard other parents didn't want him at his son's match Friday night.
So he chose to stay home.
"Not about me. If it meant me having to go Taiwan tonight I would've as long as I could see my son wrestle," Knox said.
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