Adonis Stevenson in ‘critical condition’ after knockout loss to Oleksandr Gvozdyk

Promoter Yvon Michel tweeted this morning that now-former WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson is “in critical condition in intensive care” following his knockout loss to Oleksandr Gvozdyk last night in Quebec City.

Stevenson, 41, was stopped in the 11th round of the fight, and took a pretty sizable amount of punishment in that round alone, not even counting the rest of the fight. The veteran southpaw was tagged repeatedly by clean shots from Gvozdyk (16-0, 13 KO), and the final flurry that ended things was a series of clean shots that put Stevenson (29-2-1, 24 KO) down hard in the corner.

At the time, he appeared conscious and relatively OK, but this is a reminder that boxing is a cruel and brutal sport, and that the fighters we watch are putting it all on the line every time they step into the ring.

BLH sends our best wishes out to Stevenson and his family.