Boxer John Cooney fighting for his life after sustaining brain injury during title clash

John Cooney was enactment connected a stretcher and taken to infirmary for further attraction and country aft being earnestly wounded successful his decision to Nathan Howells, with his uncle Christopher revealing helium was "fighting for his life"

Super-featherweight boxer John Cooney is "fighting for his life" aft being near successful intensive attraction pursuing his decision to Nathan Howells connected Saturday.

The 28-year-old was stopped successful the ninth circular successful the Belfast contention astatine Ulster Hall arsenic helium attempted to support his Celtic super-featherweight loop but was earnestly wounded aft promoter Mark Dunlop claimed helium suffered a bleed connected the brain.

Cooney was enactment connected a stretcher and taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital for further attraction and surgery, with his uncle Christopher revealing helium was "fighting for his life", arsenic helium called for profesional boxing to beryllium banned. He said: "What a horrible convulsive alleged sport."

A connection from Cooney's team, MHD Promotions, announced the daze quality and said the fighter's household had asked fans to support him successful their prayers arsenic helium receives captious treatment.

"Following John Cooney’s epic rubric combat astatine the Ulster Hall connected Saturday evening, John was assessed by the onsite aesculapian squad of the British Boxing Board of Control and swiftly taken to Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital for further treatment.

"On accomplishment astatine the RVH it was discovered that John had an intracranial haemorrhage and underwent contiguous country to relieve the unit connected his brain.

"John is presently successful the intensive attraction portion and successful the the hospitals susceptible hands of the ICU team. John’s fiancee Emmaleen and his parents Hughie and Tina would similar to convey everyone for their backstage messages of enactment and would inquire that they support John successful their thoughts and prayers astatine this clip arsenic helium faces his toughest battle."

Cooney, whose nickname is "The Kid", has had 12 nonrecreational boughts arsenic a super-featherweight fighter, with his lone vocation decision coming to Howells this weekend.

The southpaw had won his erstwhile 11 fights successful a row, picking up 3 knockout victories. Before the combat against Howells, Cooney had plotted a British rubric combat against Reece Bellotti aft a immense triumph implicit Liam Gaynor handed him the BBBofC Celtic title.

He said: "I’ll get concern done against Nathan Howells. I person to triumph that combat earlier immoderate speech of immoderate different fight. I’m afloat focused connected that one, but I cognize I’m much than susceptible of winning successful large fashion. Then we look to February the 15th. I’ll beryllium watching with a keen oculus and I privation the winner."