Boxer disqualified for leaving ring one second after opening bell

A lot of fighters have lost a bout after being knocked through the ropes, but on Friday night boxing fans may have witnessed the first time a fighter was called out because he slipped through the ropes on his own accord ... and kept on walking.

That's exactly what happened when up-and-coming heavyweights Curtis Harper (13-6) and Efe Ajagba (6-0) lined up to fight at the Armory in Minneapolis as part of a Premier Boxing Champions card on Fox Sports 1. In front of a stunned arena and live television audience, Harper casually ducked out of the ring like he was going for a beer right after the opening bell sounded.

.@AjagbaEfe came ready for war, but #CurtisHarper said otherwise! ✌🏿 #ImOut #AjagbeHarper #PBConFS1 pic.twitter.com/YaJkKPhXK2

— PBC (@premierboxing) August 25, 2018

It started just like any normal fight, when both Harper and his Nigerian opponent went through introductions, entered the ring, bumped gloves and returned to their corners in anticipation of the six-round match-up. But as soon as the bell clanged, Harper got up and ducked through the ropes, out of the ring and all the way out of the arena as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Referee Celestino Ruiz named Ajagba the winner by way of disqualification one second into the first round of what would have been a prominent and widely viewed fight.

Premier Boxing Champions reporter Jordan Hardy suggested Harper left because he wasn't "paid enough" and "wants respect." Harper later explained that he wanted to "make a statement." 

Seems kind of silly to go this far to make a statement without clarifying it. Harper not only lost his share of the purse because of the DQ, but he also lost a lot of respect. If his statement gained anything, it's the probability of a suspension and loss of more money.