NICK BLACKWELL has revealed part of his skull was removed and put inside his STOMACH after cheating death twice.
The former boxer was put into a coma for seven days after a devastating defeat to Chris Eubank Jr in March 2016.
Nick Blackwell is fighting back after falling into TWO comas following a brutal defeat to Chris Eubank Jr back in March 2016Credit: SWNS:South West News Service
The 29-year-old former boxer is now planning on running the Weston-Super-Mare half-marathon – it was feared he might never walk againCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
He collapsed in the ring minutes after the fight with a bleed on the brain that ultimately led to his retirement from the sport.
But less than ten months, later, and after recovering from surgery, the Trowbridge fighter decided to get back into the ring for a sparring session.
This went against medical advice at the time. And it almost led to his death.
After going 12 rounds with a boxer called Hasan Karkardi, Blackwell was rushed to hospital where he was given the slimmest of chances of survival.
James DeGale and Chris Eubank Jr weigh in ahead of their big boxing match
This was how Nick Blackwell looked after his tenth-round stoppage loss to Chris Eubank JrCredit: Reuters
Just minutes after the defeat, Nick Blackwell collapsed in the ring after suffering as bleed to the brainCredit: Rex Features
On a scale of 1-20 of survival, with 20 being full health, Blackwell was given a two.
It led to part of his skull being removed to relieve pressure on his brain and he was in a coma for a month.
Speaking to the Telegraph, the 29-year-old admits his “addiction” to boxing almost cost him his life.
He said: “I died in the ambulance after the Eubank fight. They brought me back to life.
“The second time, they cut a section out of my skull to relieve the swelling on my brain.
“They placed it inside my stomach to keep it alive until it went back. Crazy.
“I was told there was a 75 per cent chance of dying. If I survived, there was an 85 per cent chance of being paralysed down my left side.”
It has been a tough journey back for Nick Blackwell after he was given a slim chance of survivalCredit: Instagram @bngbngblackwell
Nick Blackwell admits his love for boxing meant he found it almost impossible to step awayCredit: Instagram @bngbngblackwell
Blackwell fancied his chances despite being the underdog when he took on Eubank Jr back on that fateful night at Wembley Arena.
The British title was on the line, but all that paled into insignificance in the hours after Eubank Jr won the fight with a tenth-round stoppage victory.
During the fight Eubank Jr’s own father Chris Sr begged his son to stop punching Blackwell in the head and aim for the body more.
This was after a horrendous swelling appeared around Blackwell’s left eye that led to referee Victor Loughlin halting the bout.
After collapsing in his corner, Blackwell, who made his pro debut in 2009, was rushed to hospital and placed in a medically-induced coma.
The retired boxer has revealed that part of his skull had to be put into his stomach as pressure needed to be relieved on his brainCredit: Instagram @bngbngblackwell
The 29-year-old former boxer now helps out at his local boxing club and wants to raise money for hospitalsCredit: Instagram @bngbngblackwell
But he has astonishingly claimed the bleed on his brain started BEFORE the Eubank fight, during a sparring session against the now-retired George Groves.
He continued: “If I didn’t spar with George Groves, I believe that I could have been world champion now.
“I walked into a right hand – the hardest I have ever been hit. It left me feeling weird. Light headed. Headaches before the fight.”
His biggest fight undoubtedly came after waking from a coma for the second time, with Blackwell having to learn to walk again.
Nick Blackwell spent seven days in a coma after being battered into defeat against Chris Eubank Jr
But the former British champ is now trying to get back to enjoying life again after a horror few yearsCredit: Instagram @bngbngblackwell
And despite his near-death experience, Blackwell remains a fan of the sport that nearly took him away forever.
He added: “Should it be banned? No way. It’s the best sport in the world. It sorts your discipline out. It sorts your fitness.
“It transforms the most troublesome kids. It sorted me as a person.”
When is James DeGale v Chris Eubank Jr ? – Live stream info, what TV channel is it on? Latest odds and who is on the undercard?
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
