Nick Blackwell in coma after title fight defeat against Chris Eubank Jr.

[TCE]

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.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...ll-in-coma-title-fight-defeat-chris-eubank-jr

 

[Primitivo]

Damn.

 

[Canelo]

Just saw the footage from Eubank's corner.

His father complained that the referee should be stopping this fight and told Jnr to take him out to the body and not the head as the kid was getting seriously hurt. He gets a lot of respect from me for that, he could ended up saving this kids life with that one instruction.

Thoughts go out to all this lads family and I'll be praying for a steady recovery.

 

[Torrid]

Best wishes to him and his family.

 

[RR]

Completely agree. Prayers are with him

 

[burningspear]

I think because of Blackwell's toughness and the fact he was the champ the ref let it go a little too long, its easy to say in hindsight though. He shipped a number of nasty uppercuts.
I enjoyed the fight and am thinking about Nick and willing a full recovery.

 

[Boxiana]

I only saw the last three rounds, but I disagree the ref is at fault here.

There was no clear 'trigger' to stop the fight before the eye swelling - e.g. knockdown, so the ref let it go on.

To me, the Blackwell's corner is at fault - it was clear that he was taking punishment and that Blackwell's punches were never going to trouble Eubank (in the rounds I saw at least), and so it is on them to stop their fighter.

 

[The lord of bones]

Eubanks uppercuts were vicious I hope Blackwell has a speedy recovery with no complications.

 

[jm0b]

Blackwell was very fortunate the ref stopped the clock in the 10th to get his eye looked at. I think the ref did his job - Blackwell never wobbled and was punching back throuthout

 

[wilddeuces]

Just saw the footage from Eubank's corner.

His father complained that the referee should be stopping this fight and told Jnr to take him out to the body and not the head as the kid was getting seriously hurt. He gets a lot of respect from me for that, he could ended up saving this kids life with that one instruction.

Thoughts go out to all this lads family and I'll be praying for a steady recovery.

Wow. Much respect to the father's advice for that! Very classy and thoughtful. The referee needs to better balance fighter health with entertainment. We want more people involved in the sport, not more pushed away from revulsion.

Hopefully Blackwell is able tor ecover. Truly sad stuff.

 

[hangulmalmotayo]

Just saw the footage from Eubank's corner.

His father complained that the referee should be stopping this fight and told Jnr to take him out to the body and not the head as the kid was getting seriously hurt. He gets a lot of respect from me for that, he could ended up saving this kids life with that one instruction.

Thoughts go out to all this lads family and I'll be praying for a steady recovery.

Yeah, man. Between rounds 8 and 9, Chris Eubank Sr. tells Jr., "If the referee doesn’t stop it, I don’t know what to tell you. But I will tell you this, if he doesn’t stop it and you keep beating him like this [...] he’s going to get hurt [...] why isn’t the referee stopping the fight? I don’t get why. So maybe you shouldn’t leave it to the referee. Now you’re not going to take him out to the face you’re going to take him out to the body.”

 

[Jonny Ninja]

Just saw the footage from Eubank's corner.

His father complained that the referee should be stopping this fight and told Jnr to take him out to the body and not the head as the kid was getting seriously hurt. He gets a lot of respect from me for that, he could ended up saving this kids life with that one instruction.

Thoughts go out to all this lads family and I'll be praying for a steady recovery.

Eubank was badly affected by the Watson fight and was never the same fighter afterwards. He's a good man if you look past all the bravado and nonsense he spouts. I was worried for spike in Eubanks last fight as he ate numerous uppercuts just like Blackwell did last night.
Thoughts with Nick Blackwell. He is brave as they come; hope he pulls through ok with no lasting problems

I also don't blame the ref. Blackwells fckin nails and he took punishment but never looked in real trouble. His corner were better placed to know if he was ok to continue than the ref. There should be no blame, boxing is a dangerous sport and unfortunately these things can happen

 

[PUO3]

Just saw the footage from Eubank's corner.

His father complained that the referee should be stopping this fight and told Jnr to take him out to the body and not the head as the kid was getting seriously hurt. He gets a lot of respect from me for that, he could ended up saving this kids life with that one instruction.

Thoughts go out to all this lads family and I'll be praying for a steady recovery.

Respect to his pops for that.

 

[PHATV]

Good thoughts his way and I hope he makes a full recovery.

 

[deise69]

 

[Avenger]

Respect.

 

[Biggamer86]

It's unfortunately what happened but I really saw no reason for the ref to stop this fight until the swelling either. If that ref would've stopped the fight earlier he'd be taking a lot of heat for a premature stoppage. That poor ref was in a lose/lose situation no matter what he did basically. I mean heck the crowd already gave him a lot of heat for calling in the doctor when he did.

 

[CIAPuppetShow]

Heavy swelling on the face can cause a stroke in the brain and if he had bleeding in the brain that's already brain damage.

this has happened many times in Boxing time and time again they get strokes and either die or come out with brain damage.

 

[aries]

It's unfortunately what happened but I really saw no reason for the ref to stop this fight until the swelling either. If that ref would've stopped the fight earlier he'd be taking a lot of heat for a premature stoppage. That poor ref was in a lose/lose situation no matter what he did basically. I mean heck the crowd already gave him a lot of heat for calling in the doctor when he did.

I agree. I think the timing was perfect by the referee. It's so much easier to criticise a decision with the benefit of hindsight. Blackwell was just too tough for his own good. If anyone should have called an early end to the proceedings it should have been his corner. If Eubank senior was in his corner I'm sure the towel would have come in.

 

[jimbob27]

I only saw the last three rounds, but I disagree the ref is at fault here.

There was no clear 'trigger' to stop the fight before the eye swelling - e.g. knockdown, so the ref let it go on.

To me, the Blackwell's corner is at fault - it was clear that he was taking punishment and that Blackwell's punches were never going to trouble Eubank (in the rounds I saw at least), and so it is on them to stop their fighter.

I only watched the first 7-8 rounds properly because I was at work and had to do something halfway through.

At one point he got hit by exactly the same brutal uppercut 5+ times in a row. I don't remember which round it was, but that sequence could easily have prompted the referee to step in and warn him for not defending himself. IIRC that round ended with his corner man asking if he likes getting hit by uppercuts. Both the ref and the corner are responsible for protecting the fighter, neither did their job properly imo.