Top NJ wrestler charged for role in tournament brawl

Star New Jersey high school wrestler Anthony Knox has been charged with simple assault-purposely/knowingly causing bodily injury after allegedly participating in a brawl in the bleachers at a tournament last month, per the New York Post.

Knox and his father, Anthony Knox Sr., were detained after the brawl at Collingswood High School dissipated. Knox Jr. had already won his match for St. John Vianney High School, which checked another key box on his way to an expected fourth straight New Jersey title in his weight class. 

Court documents obtained by The Post and videos on social media reveal a person alleged to be Knox Jr. sprinting up the bleachers to join the brawl at the high school.

“The defendant did enter the opposing team’s designated section of the gymnasium bleachers during the District 25 wrestling tournament, where he proceeded to punch [redacted] about the face and head repeatedly, which result in bruising and pain to the right temple area,” the complaint document read. 

Knox Jr. was disqualified by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) from participation in the tournament until Mercer County Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels granted him a temporary restraining order from his ban, allowing him to compete in the Region 7 tournament. 

Knox Jr. won his match and will compete for his fourth straight state title this weekend.

NJ HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING STAR WINS REGIONAL TITLE AFTER DRAMATIC WEEK

Knox Jr. issued a statement explaining why he joined the brawl, in which he said his father approached the opposing team to address alleged insults. 

“During the finals matches, the atmosphere of the crowd became increasingly hostile toward me and my teammates because of our success,” Knox Jr.’s statement read, which Bartels asked of him. “Insults were hurled at us. Apparently, my father approached the people hurling the insults and asked them to stop. 

“In response, I saw these people lunge forward assaulting my father and he was pulled down and completely surrounded by unruly people. My immediate reaction was to run close to the section to aid in the protection and safety of my father and mother, who was with me. I dispute the NJSIAA’s adopted version of the facts.”

The Knox family also participated in an interview with ABC7, where Knox Sr. said “racial slurs” were being said toward kids on the mats below. 

“[I] saw a bunch of grown men yelling racial slurs at kids that I’ve been training since they were 6 years old, cursing at my son, cursing at my wife,” said Knox Sr., a former MMA fighter. 

“As a man, I walked over, walked up into the stands and asked the guy to stop. At that point, I was assaulted. Never threw a punch. Never hurt anybody. Never ran up there like a bat out of hell just throwing punches at people. None of that happened. I got pushed down the bleachers. I could have gotten seriously injured. Then I got surrounded by about 10 other families.”

The NJSIAA’s initial response, after reviewing the video evidence online, was to disqualify Knox Jr., the top-ranked wrestler in the 126-pound weight class in the country, from the state tournament. Then, after Bartels’ decision on the matter, the governing body said it would appeal the court’s decision, which they “strongly disagree” with.

Knox Jr. is a Cornell commit who had a “tough conversation” with his future head coach, Mike Grey, about the situation that unfolded at Collingswood High School. Grey told NJ.com that Knox Jr.’s status with the university hasn’t been affected by the incident, and he plans to have him on his roster whenever he enrolls. 

Knox Jr. defeated Lacey High School’s Aidan Flynn to win the Region 7 title in the 126-pound weight class, setting himself up for one more match that would make him the fifth wrestler in the state to ever win four straight New Jersey titles.

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