Adonis Stevenson awake after three weeks in coma

Canadian boxer Adonis Stevenson has regained consciousness after spending three weeks in a coma following a knockout loss against Oleksandr Gvozdyk on December 1. 

According to a statement from Stevenson’s girlfriend Simone “Sisi” God, the Haitian-born light heavyweight is awake and recovering after coming out of an induced coma on Saturday.

“Despite recent reports being leaked to media, I wanted to clarify that Adonis is awake,” God said. “He is healing from his injury in the private company of his family and his dedicated medical team.

“Adonis is a world champion in the ring and is exhibiting that same grit, strength and determination in his recovery.” 

Stevenson underwent emergency neurosurgery for a traumatic brain injury and was placed into a coma because his condition required “mechanical respiratory assistance, deep sedation and specialized neurological monitoring”, according to intensive care specialist Dr Alexis Turgeon. 

Dreadful knockout

Stevenson, 41, suffered an 11th round knockout after receiving a pretty sizeable amount of punishment in that round alone by the Ukrainian fighter.

The Canadian - who until December 1 was boxing’s oldest and longest reigning champion – was forced to leave the ring on a stretcher. His promoter, Yvon Michael, later reported his fighter had been taken to intensive care in Quebec.

This was only the second defeat in Stevenson’s career. He had accumulated a run of 17 fights without tasting defeat.

He was making the 10th defense of his WBC and lineal light-heavyweight titles since winning the belt against Chad Dawson in 2013.