Super middleweight contender Aidos Yerbossynuly remains in critical, but stable condition after he was placed in a medically induced coma Sunday night, a hospital spokesperson told Boxing Junkie on Wednesday.
The spokesperson is not authorized to say whether the Kazakh fighter is still comatose.
Yerbossynuly, 30, was knocked out in the 12th and final round by David Morrell on Saturday night at The Armory in Minneapolis, after which he was transported to nearby Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation.
The U.S.-based Kazakh was placed in a coma, which minimizes swelling following a brain injury.
TGB Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions released a joint statement. It 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.”
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Morrell, a top 168-pounder, delivered a sustained beating on his tough, but overmatched opponent before finally taking him out 26 seconds before the final bell.
Yerbossynuly (16-1, 11 KOs) was hurt so badly that referee Tony Weeks and Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) had to help him to his corner.
Morrell’s trainer, Ronnie Shields, said shortly after the fight — and before the extent of his injuries were known — that the fight was allowed to continue too long.
“That fight should’ve been stopped sooner,” Shields told BoxingScene.com. “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.”
Shields went on: “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.”
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