Star New Jersey highschool wrestler Anthony Knox has been charged with easy assault-purposely/knowingly inflicting bodily harm after allegedly collaborating in a brawl within the bleachers at a event final month, per the New York Submit.
Knox and his father, Anthony Knox Sr., had been detained after the brawl at Collingswood Excessive Faculty dissipated. Knox Jr. had already received his match for St. John Vianney Excessive Faculty, which checked one other key field on his approach to an anticipated fourth straight New Jersey title in his weight class.Â
Courtroom paperwork obtained by The Submit and movies on social media reveal an individual alleged to be Knox Jr. sprinting up the bleachers to affix the brawl at the highschool.
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St. John Vianney’s Anthony Knox defeated Manchester’s Charles Gold by technical fall of their 126-pound quarterfinal match of the NJSIAA Area 7 Event on February 28, 2025, in Lacey, N.J. (Peter Ackerman/USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Pictures)
“The defendant did enter the opposing crew’s designated part of the gymnasium bleachers throughout the District 25 wrestling event, the place he proceeded to punch [redacted] in regards to the face and head repeatedly, which end in bruising and ache to the precise temple space,” the grievance doc learn.Â
Knox Jr. was disqualified by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Affiliation (NJSIAA) from participation within the event till Mercer County Superior Courtroom Decide Patrick Bartels granted him a short lived restraining order from his ban, permitting him to compete within the Area 7 event.Â
Knox Jr. received his match and can compete for his fourth straight state title this weekend.
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Knox Jr. issued a press release explaining why he joined the brawl, by which he stated his father approached the opposing crew to handle alleged insults.Â
“Through the finals matches, the environment of the group grew to become more and more hostile towards me and my teammates due to our success,” Knox Jr.’s assertion learn, which Bartels requested of him. “Insults had been hurled at us. Apparently, my father approached the folks hurling the insults and requested them to cease.Â
“In response, I noticed these folks lunge ahead assaulting my father and he was pulled down and utterly surrounded by unruly folks. My instant response was to run near the part to help within the safety and security of my father and mom, who was with me. I dispute the NJSIAA’s adopted model of the details.”
St. John Vianney’s Anthony Knox controls Paul VI’s Owen Gardner throughout the 126-pound bout within the remaining spherical of the District 25 wrestling event on February 22, 2025. Knox defeated Gardner, 17-2. (IMAGN)
The Knox household additionally participated in an interview with ABC7, the place Knox Sr. stated “racial slurs” had been being stated towards children on the mats beneath.Â
“[I] noticed a bunch of grown males yelling racial slurs at children that I’ve been coaching since they had been 6 years previous, cursing at my son, cursing at my spouse,” stated Knox Sr., a former MMA fighter.Â
“As a person, I walked over, walked up into the stands and requested the man to cease. At that time, I used to be assaulted. By no means threw a punch. By no means harm anyone. By no means ran up there like a bat out of hell simply throwing punches at folks. None of that occurred. I bought pushed down the bleachers. I may have gotten critically injured. Then I bought surrounded by about 10 different households.”
The NJSIAA’s preliminary response, after reviewing the video proof on-line, was to disqualify Knox Jr., the top-ranked wrestler within the 126-pound weight class within the nation, from the state event. Then, after Bartels’ resolution on the matter, the governing physique stated it will enchantment the court docket’s resolution, which they “strongly disagree” with.
St. John Vianney’s Anthony Knox competes within the 126-pound quarterfinal match of the NJSIAA Area 7 Event on February 28, 2025, in Lacey, N.J. (Peter Ackerman/USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Pictures)
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Knox Jr. is a Cornell commit who had a “powerful dialog” together with his future head coach, Mike Gray, in regards to the state of affairs that unfolded at Collingswood Excessive Faculty. Gray instructed NJ.com that Knox Jr.’s standing with the college hasn’t been affected by the incident, and he plans to have him on his roster at any time when he enrolls.Â
Knox Jr. defeated Lacey Excessive Faculty’s Aidan Flynn to win the Area 7 title within the 126-pound weight class, setting himself up for another match that may make him the fifth wrestler within the state to ever win 4 straight New Jersey titles.
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