FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza broke his jaw during an altercation at a bar in the early hours of Monday morning. One witness of the altercation has alleged that Boupendza’s assailant was a local professional boxer named Quashawn Toler, according to a police report obtained by The Athletic. Toler is named as a suspect in that report.
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FC Cincinnati views Boupendza as a victim in this situation, club sources say. Those sources spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to comment publicly on the incident.
Cincinnati announced Boupendza underwent surgery on Thursday for a broken jaw due to an “off field injury” and will miss 6-8 weeks.
An injury update on Aaron Boupendza: pic.twitter.com/Z8fUfuz8sT
— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) May 1, 2024
Toler, 32, has a professional boxing record of 17-2 with 12 knockouts, according to the World Boxing Association.
Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer first reported the injury was suffered in an altercation with an unknown suspect. Cincinnati was off on Monday morning, sources add. Boupendza was at Cincinnati establishment Rusconi Bar & Kitchen around 2 a.m. when the incident happened, says the police report.
FC Cincinnati declined to comment further when reached by The Athletic on Thursday and Friday. Toler did not immediately respond to a text message and phone call requesting comment.
The incident is the latest in a bumpy first year for Boupendza, and the club’s patience is growing thin. Sources say even before the broken jaw, Cincinnati was ready to move on from the designated player this summer and look for a transfer.
The forward was suspended by Cincy for “disciplinary reasons” and was also sent home from the Gabon national team in separate incidents last fall. This season, Boupendza has fallen out of form and was benched the last two games, both of which Cincy won. He has three goals in 13 appearances across all competitions in 2024.
Boupendza arrived in Cincy last summer in a $7 million transfer from Saudi club Al-Shabab. He excelled on the pitch in his first half-season, scoring the goal that clinched the Supporters’ Shield for Cincy in 2023.
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Boupendza, 27, has bounced around during his professional career, having played for eight clubs already plus the Bordeaux B team. The most games he’s featured for a single club is 38 with Turkish side Hatayspor. He has been productive along the way at most of those stops, scoring 46 goals in 79 appearances before this season, and winning the Golden Boot in the Turkish league for the 2020-21 season.
Cincy is second in the MLS Eastern Conference with 18 points after 10 matches to start the 2024 season.
(Photo: David Jensen/Getty Images)