Top NJ wrestler Anthony Knox Jr charged with simple assault for alleged role in viral tournament brawl

Star New Jersey precocious schoolhouse wrestler Anthony Knox has been charged with elemental assault-purposely/knowingly causing bodily wounded aft allegedly participating successful a brawl successful the bleachers astatine a tourney past month, per the New York Post.

Knox and his father, Anthony Knox Sr., were detained aft the brawl astatine Collingswood High School dissipated. Knox Jr. had already won his lucifer for St. John Vianney High School, which checked different cardinal container connected his mode to an expected 4th consecutive New Jersey title successful his value class. 

Court documents obtained by The Post and videos connected societal media uncover a idiosyncratic alleged to beryllium Knox Jr. sprinting up the bleachers to articulation the brawl astatine the precocious school.

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St. John Vianney’s Anthony Knox defeated Manchester’s Charles Gold by method autumn successful their 126-pound quarterfinal lucifer of the NJSIAA Region 7 Tournament connected February 28, 2025, successful Lacey, N.J. (Peter Ackerman/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

"The suspect did participate the opposing team’s designated conception of the gymnasium bleachers during the District 25 wrestling tournament, wherever helium proceeded to punch [redacted] astir the look and caput repeatedly, which effect successful bruising and symptom to the close temple area," the ailment papers read. 

Knox Jr. was disqualified by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) from information successful the tourney until Mercer County Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels granted him a impermanent restraining bid from his ban, allowing him to vie successful the Region 7 tournament. 

Knox Jr. won his lucifer and volition vie for his 4th consecutive authorities rubric this weekend.

NJ HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING STAR WINS REGIONAL TITLE AFTER DRAMATIC WEEK

Knox Jr. issued a connection explaining wherefore helium joined the brawl, successful which helium said his begetter approached the opposing squad to code alleged insults. 

"During the finals matches, the ambiance of the assemblage became progressively hostile toward maine and my teammates due to the fact that of our success," Knox Jr.’s connection read, which Bartels asked of him. "Insults were hurled astatine us. Apparently, my begetter approached the radical hurling the insults and asked them to stop. 

"In response, I saw these radical lunge guardant assaulting my begetter and helium was pulled down and wholly surrounded by unruly people. My contiguous absorption was to tally adjacent to the conception to assistance successful the extortion and information of my begetter and mother, who was with me. I quality the NJSIAA’s adopted mentation of the facts."

St. John Vianney's Anthony Knox controls Paul VI's Owen Gardner during the 126-pound bout successful the last circular of the District 25 wrestling tourney connected February 22, 2025. Knox defeated Gardner, 17-2. (IMAGN)

The Knox household besides participated successful an interrogation with ABC7, wherever Knox Sr. said "racial slurs" were being said toward kids connected the mats below. 

"[I] saw a clump of grown men yelling radical slurs astatine kids that I’ve been grooming since they were 6 years old, cursing astatine my son, cursing astatine my wife," said Knox Sr., a former MMA fighter. 

"As a man, I walked over, walked up into the stands and asked the feline to stop. At that point, I was assaulted. Never threw a punch. Never wounded anybody. Never ran up determination similar a bat retired of hellhole conscionable throwing punches astatine people. None of that happened. I got pushed down the bleachers. I could person gotten earnestly injured. Then I got surrounded by astir 10 different families."

The NJSIAA’s archetypal response, aft reviewing the video grounds online, was to disqualify Knox Jr., the top-ranked wrestler successful the 126-pound value people successful the country, from the authorities tournament. Then, aft Bartels’ determination connected the matter, the governing assemblage said it would entreaty the court’s decision, which they "strongly disagree" with.

St. John Vianney’s Anthony Knox competes successful the 126-pound quarterfinal lucifer of the NJSIAA Region 7 Tournament connected February 28, 2025, successful Lacey, N.J. (Peter Ackerman/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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Knox Jr. is simply a Cornell perpetrate who had a "tough conversation" with his aboriginal caput coach, Mike Grey, astir the concern that unfolded astatine Collingswood High School. Grey told NJ.com that Knox Jr.’s presumption with the assemblage hasn’t been affected by the incident, and helium plans to person him connected his roster whenever helium enrolls. 

Knox Jr. defeated Lacey High School’s Aidan Flynn to triumph the Region 7 rubric successful the 126-pound value class, mounting himself up for 1 much lucifer that would marque him the 5th wrestler successful the authorities to ever triumph 4 consecutive New Jersey titles.

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