Canadian fighter in distress after blows

Canadian boxer Adonis Stevenson suffered a “severe traumatic brain injury” and remains in intensive care, his doctors said on Wednesday, days after the fighter lost his World Boxing Council light-heavyweight title to Ukrainian Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

The 41-year-old underwent surgery after the Saturday fight, and “his situation is still stable under the circumstances, but critical”, said doctor Alexis Turgeon.

Turgeon noted that Stevenson requires “mechanical respiratory assistance, deep sedation and specialised neurological monitoring”.

He said it was “too early to comment” on the fighter’s longterm prognosis, but that likely he would have lasting neurological damage. “We’ve seen cases like this, but each situation is unique,” he said.

The Haitian-born boxer was admitted to hospital in what doctors said was an “altered level of consciousness” after the unbeaten 31-year-old Gvozdyk finished him off with a crushing right hand, leaving him leaning awkwardly against the corner ropes.

Stevenson was making his 10th title defence since winning his belt in 2013 by defeating American Chad Dawson.

He was dominated almost from beginning to end by Gvozdyk, who unloaded a barrage of punches that sent the Canadian champion reeling before landing his knockout blow in the 11th.

Gvozdyk, who won an Olympic bronze medal for Ukraine at the London 2012 Games, claimed the belt in his first shot at a major title.

Gvozdyk unloaded a barrage of punches that sent the champion reeling