The legendary “King of Bullfighters” was left with a severe rectal wound after a match on Monday in Seville, Spain, when he went up against an angry bull.
Spanish matador Morante de la Puebla was performing at the Maestranza arena when he was gored in front of a huge crowd, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
Video footage showed the moment the bullfighter was gored in the rectum. The pain was clearly visible on his face and his clothing appeared to have a small hole in the bright blue fabric:
Morante underwent surgery after the incident and said, “I was in immense pain, felt a lot of fear because I saw the bull had grabbed me and, well, I thought I was bleeding,” adding he was able to relax when he got to the hospital and saw there was minimal blood. However, he called it “the most painful goring ever.”
Morante has been injured numerous times during his career, but this particular injury by the bull named Clandestino was more acute, per the Times.
“The medical report was eye-watering, however. Morante suffered a 10 cm [3.9 inch] wound to the posterior anal margin, partially damaging the sphincter muscles and perforating the rectum,” the outlet said, noting medical professionals said the injury was serious but not immediately life-threatening.
“The goring came at the height of a triumphant run where sold-out crowds had gathered repeatedly to watch his comeback after a shock retirement last year,” the Times article continued. “Born José Antonio Morante Camacho, he is widely regarded as the leading torero de arte of his generation, and by some as the greatest of all time.”
More video footage showed the matador speaking from his hospital bed:
The Post article explained how it happened: “The 46-year-old had already cleared three bulls when the fourth suddenly charged, forcing him to drop his cape — used to lure the animal — as he turned and took off with his back exposed, El Mundo reported.”
Another clip featured images of how the incident unfolded with the bull goring Morante, causing him to fall to the ground:
Morante said his pain is significant, he has lost sleep, and has no appetite, but also stated “I’m hoping to get through it with, well, with a bit of patience.”
When it comes to the murky origins of bullfighting, the Britannica website said, “What is likely the case is that modern bullfighting hails from a confluence of influences, rituals, and cultures, many of which are thousands of years old.”
Read the full article here