The British boxer Nick Blackwell is in an induced coma after suffering a bleed on the brain following a domestic title fight defeat on Saturday night.
The referee stopped the largely one-sided fight against Chris Eubank Jr in the 10th round after Blackwell, who had taken heavy punishment in most rounds, was deemed unable to continue by a doctor, due to swelling over his left eye.
Shortly after the bout, for Blackwell’s British middleweight title, which was televised live on Channel 5, the 25-year-old, from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, collapsed and had to be taken out of the ring on a stretcher with oxygen.
The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) general secretary, Robert Smith, said: “I spoke to one of the doctors this morning and he said there is a bleeding of the brain.
“He’s in intensive care, he’s in an induced coma and he is resting and being looked after by the experts.
“It’s a very normal procedure. They put you in a coma to get the swelling to go down. There’s no timescale. Now it’s just a matter of waiting and seeing.”
Press Association Sport quoted a source close to the Blackwell team as saying the boxer was stable and there was no swelling overnight.
Peter Fury, the trainer and uncle of the world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, tweeted that he had spoken to Blackwell’s promoter Mick Hennessy and that the prospects of recovery were encouraging. A tweet from Hennessy Sports said:
Thank you all for the messages of support for Nick Blackwell. We will be issuing updates when the time is right. pic.twitter.com/nGswgubNBp
— Hennessy Sports (@HennessySports) March 27, 2016
The BBC said on Sunday that surgeons were not planning to operate on Blackwell.
After the fight, Eubank said: “I was hitting him with some big shots and the referee saw fit to let the fight go on. Looking back now, maybe he should have stopped it earlier.”
On Sunday, he paid tribute to his opponent’s courage and wished him a speedy recovery. He tweeted:
Unfortunately Nick is now in an induced coma... my thoughts & prayers go out to his family & friends.
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) March 27, 2016
He's a true fighter & I whole heartedly believe he will pull through. Appreciate everyone that came out to support the fight #TeamEubank
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) March 27, 2016
Eubank’s father, Chris Eubank Sr, who was in his son’s corner for the bout, said the incident brought back painful memories of his world title fight with Michael Watson in 1991, which left his opponent with severe brain injuries.
Watson nearly died as a result of injuries sustained in the fight and the incident forced the BBBC to boost safety at bouts to ensure that boxers who suffer such injuries get speedy assistance, including oxygen. Eubank Sr said he was banging on the canvas during the Blackwell fight urging the referee to stop it. At one point, he could be heard on television telling his son in the corner in between rounds: “If he [the referee] doesn’t stop it, and you keep beating him like this … he’s getting hurt.”
A number of British boxers, past and present, have tweeted their support for Blackwell, including Fury, who accompanied Blackwell into the ring on Saturday night.
will u all pray for @nickblackwell02 please ASAP as he has been taken to hospital, God be with him,
— Gypsy King (@Tyson_Fury) March 26, 2016
Thoughts and prayers to @nickblackwell02 and his family at this time! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾#BlackwellEubankJr
— Lennox Lewis (@LennoxLewis) March 27, 2016
Wishing @nickblackwell02 a speedy recovery, son you showed incredible courage last night #getwellsoon
— Barry McGuigan (@ClonesCyclone) March 27, 2016
Woke up this morning an the first person on my mind was @nickblackwell02
— Tony Bellew (@TonyBellew) March 27, 2016
I just pray he comes out this in the best way possible. 🙏🏽
Don't like thought of a tweet being helpful in a time like this but thoughts and prayers of myself and family are with @nickblackwell02
— George Groves (@StGeorgeGroves) March 27, 2016
I hope he comes out of this ok. We've been in the gym sparring together the past month and he's a truly one of the sports great guys.
— George Groves (@StGeorgeGroves) March 27, 2016
