Boxing star Aidos Yerbossynuly has been placed in an induced coma after suffering a bleed on the brain during his defeat by David Morrell Jr.
Yerbossunuly was competing for a super-middleweight world title against Morrell Jr in Minneapolis as he faced the toughest challenge of his career. However he was stopped in the final round of his contest after being floored twice in the final round and suffering repeated damage from brutal shots.
Yerbossynuly received immediate medical attention in the ring before being taken to hospital. The medical staff at the facility elected to place the Kazakh fighter into a medically induced coma as a result of a bleed on the brain, and he remained hospitalised on Sunday night.
Promoters Premier Boxing Champions and TGB Promotions made a joint statement after the sequence of events unfolded, which read: “Representatives of TGB Promotions and PBC are on the ground in Minneapolis with Aidos’ team and we are monitoring the situation closely. Out of respect for he and his family’s privacy, we can’t share any details but we ask the boxing community to keep him in its thoughts and prayers.”
Yerbossnuly becomes the latest fighter to be placed in a coma this year alongside Russian fighter Arrest Sahakyan, and Simiso Buthelezi who punched an 'invisible opponent' after suffering a brain injury. The 30-year-old was dropped by two pummelling shots in the final round with referee Tony Weeks eventually stepping in to call a halt to the clash, despite many suggesting it could have been stopped many minutes sooner.
The boxing community has reacted with worry and empathy after the incident with promoter Lou Di Bella saying: "Pray for Aidos Yerbossynuly. He needs our prayers and healing energy. This was foreseeable by the middle of last night’s fight, which was damn frightening to watch by the eighth round."
What did you make of the fight between Aidos Yerbossynuly and David Morrell? Let us know in the comments section below
Morrell's trainer Ronnie Shields was stunned by the referee's decision to continue the contest in the 12th round insisting the fight should have been stopped sooner. He told Boxing Scene : “That fight should’ve been stopped sooner. They let this kid take way too much punishment. But even the referee, and Tony Weeks is a really good ref, but sometimes you’ve gotta go to the corner and say, ‘Hey man, y’all need to stop this.’
"And that’s when [Yerbossynuly] started fighting dirty, because he didn’t wanna get knocked out. It was all pride. I commend the guy for taking all that punishment, but you’ve gotta save guys from themselves. He took way too many punches. And you know what? This kid might never be able to fight again. That’s how bad it was.”
