THE family of Nick Blackwell this afternoon released a statement regarding the Trowbridge boxer who remains in a London hospital after collapsing following his British middleweight title defeat to Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday.
Blackwell was expected to remain under sedation until Tuesday at least after suffering a bleed on the skull. His trainer Gary Lockett, told BBC Sport tonight that the 25-year-old is "heavily sedated" but could be brought out of sedation on Tuesday.
The Trowbridge fighter was taken to St Mary's Hospital in London and placed in an induced coma following his punishing defeat to Eubank Jr at Wembley Arena, where he lost the British middleweight title after being forced to retire with 39 seconds of the 10th round remaining.
The Blackwell family statement said: "We would like to thank the public for their many messages of support for Nick, they are much appreciated.
"No official statements have been made either by ourselves or the hospital.
"We would like to clarify that, given the unsubstantiated rumours and statements in the media, we would like privacy while Nick receives treatment - and any statements will be released only by the family or the promoters Hennessy Sports.''
Earlier Billy Joe Saunders, a former opponent for both Blackwell and Eubank Jr who was ringside on Saturday night, struck a positive note about the Trowbridge fighter's condition today, revealing he had spoken to Blackwell's father.
Spoke to nicks Dad looking good he will be back to us in No time ' keep him in half thoughts and prayers God bless him and you all🙌🏼
— billyjoesaunders (@bjsaunders_) March 28, 2016
In an update on Sunday evening, British Boxing Board of Control general secretary Robert Smith said: "There's no change from this morning. He's sedated and staying in overnight. We expect him to be in hospital for some time."
On Saturday night, referee Victor Laughlin called a halt to proceedings as a result of the heavy swelling around the Wiltshire star’s left eye and shortly after the result was awarded, Blackwell collapsed in his corner and was rushed out of the ring on a stretcher.
Yesterday morning, Smith said: "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 time-scale. Now it's just a matter of waiting and seeing."
The Trowbridge man's promoters Hennessy Sports say that they'll provide an update on their fighter's condition when 'the time is right'.
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
Meanwhile a source close to the Blackwell team told Press Association Sport: "He's stable and there was no swelling overnight."
Blackwell’s conqueror Eubank Jr, who thought Saturday night’s contest should have been stopped earlier than the 10th round, led the tributes to the stricken Wiltshire warrior.
@nickblackwell02 You put up a great fight tonight. Proved yourself a true warrior, wish you a quick recovery & a speedy return 2 the ring 👊🏽
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) March 27, 2016
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
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. 🙏🏽
Thoughts and prayers to @nickblackwell02 and his family at this time! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾#BlackwellEubankJr
— Lennox Lewis (@LennoxLewis) March 27, 2016
Praying for @nickblackwell02 to make a full recovery.
— Evander Holyfield (@holyfield) March 27, 2016
God bless 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
🏾#BlackwellEubankJr #boxing #RealDeal
Let's all send love & positive energy to the brave warrior @NickBlackwell02 & his family as they battle through his toughest fight yet.
— David Haye (@mrdavidhaye) March 27, 2016
It emerged Eubank Jr's father, Chris, a former two-weight world champion in his own right, warned his son that Blackwell was in danger of taking too much punishment.
Eubank Sr felt the fight should already have been halted when speaking to his son at the end of the eighth round.
He felt Eubank Jr's best chance of victory was to avoid the punishing head shots and instead target Blackwell's body.
Broadcasters Channel 5 picked up Eubank saying: "If the referee doesn't stop it, then I don't know what to tell you.
"But I will tell you this: if he doesn't stop it and you keep on beating him like this...one, he is getting hurt, two, if it goes to a decision, why hasn't the referee stopped the fight? I don't get why.
"So maybe you shouldn't leave it to the referee. But you are not going to take him out to the face. You are going to take him out to the body. Okay?"
Eubank Sr was the opponent when Michael Watson suffered life-changing injuries in their WBO middleweight title fight at White Hart Lane in 1991.
In an interview with the Telegraph today, Watson said he "went down memory lane'' after watching the Blackwell fight on Saturday.
"It was a real sense of deja vu as the story unfolded. I went down memory lane in many senses," said Watson, who suffered brain damage after his 1991 fight.
"Chris and Nick were involved in a very tough fight, and it was a very sad thing to see Nick hurt at the end and then to hear what has happened to him after the fight.
"We, as boxers, step into the ring knowing there are risks. But it is the same for a racing car driver, the same for any other sport which involves hard contact. It is one of those things that can happen in sport and life.
"I went through a lot when it happened to me and it makes me feel happy that what I went through led to a change in the medical provision laid out for boxers.
"Young Chris need not blame himself for what has happened. It was not his intention to bring harm to his opponent, as strange as that sounds. It was an accident.
"I have been praying for Nick and his family, and for them to have great strength. It is a very tough time for them. It was for my family. I truly hope that everything works out for him."
British Boxing Board of Control general secretary Smith defended referee Loughlin's handling of the fight, telling BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday evening: "I've spoken to the referee, Victor Loughlin, I've spoken to Gary Lockett (Blackwell's coach).
"We had discussions with regard to how the fight went and I'm satisfied with their decisions on the evening. It's just the nature of the sport and we wish Nick well."
Messages of support continued to pour in for Blackwell from the world of boxing and beyond, including from Britain's Amir Khan and American Antonio Tarver.
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