George Groves sends his best wishes to Eduard Gutknecht after the Kazakh needed emergency surgery following his defeat and dressing-room collapse
Super-middleweight bout leaves boxing fearing another tragedy as the loser reportedly needing resuscitating
GEORGE GROVES sent his best to Eduard Gutknecht after the Kazakhstani needed emergency surgery.
Reports in Germany suggested doctors had operated to reduce brain swelling following the duo’s super-middleweight clash on Friday.
German boxing chief Thomas Putz said: “We were informed after the fight there was cerebral haemorrhage and an emergency operation was necessary.”
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Groves won the Wembley Arena fight on a unanimous points decision but his joy was short-lived when news of 34-year-old Gutknecht’s condition emerged.
Gutknecht, who boxes out of Germany, left the ring with a badly swollen and cut right eye.
He required medical attention backstage and was transported by ambulance to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
According to the British Boxing Board of Control, Gutknecht is sedated and will continue to be monitored in the coming days.
Groves, 28, chose not to hold a press conference in light of his rival’s plight but issued a social-media statement yesterday.
The WBA International champ said: “Out of respect to Eduard Gutknecht and his family’s privacy I don’t want to say too much.
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“But we were all deeply concerned to hear that he was taken to hospital after the fight.
“I sincerely hope it is nothing too serious and I would like to send out all my support and best wishes to him and his family.”
Nick Blackwell collapsed and spent a week in an induced coma after a brutal British middleweight title defeat by Chris Eubank Jr at the same venue in March.
Blackwell went on to make a full recovery but was forced to retire.
In September, Scottish welterweight Mike Towell died just 25 hours after losing to Dale Evans in Glasgow. He had suffered bleeding and swelling to his brain.
Groves, who has won four from four since teaming up with trainer Shane McGuigan, is now expected to challenge for the vacant WBA Super belt early next year.
