Mexican flyweight Victor Burgos underwent brain surgery following his loss on Saturday to Australian Vic Darchinyan.
The operation to remove a blood clot and relieve swelling was performed at Harbor-University of California-Los Angeles Medical Center late Saturday.
Victor Burgos (left) takes a punch from Vic Darchinyan in the seventh round of their flyweight title boxing bout in Carson, Calif., on Saturday.
(Stephen Carr/Associated Press/Long Beach Press-Telegram)
Burgos was stopped in the 12th round of the fight at Carson, Calif., and slumped on his stool afterward, prompting ringside physician Dr. Paul Wallace to quickly summon a stretcher and ambulance.
According to a release from Don King Productions, the promoter of Saturday's 112-pound title bout, Burgos remained in a medically induced coma, a method used to help reduce swelling around the brain.
"I urge everyone to join me in prayer for Victor Burgos and his family," King said. "I know he's fighting right now to come through this because a brave fighter is what he has always been. Now we need God's help to see him back to health."
Burgos had been knocked down in the second round and though he tried to battle back, trailed badly on the scorecards late in the fight. He had also slipped to the canvas without being hit on several occasions.
Darchinyan's trainer, Billy Hussein, told The Australian newspaper that he and his fighter were both disappointed and saddened by what had transpired.
"Why let him be punished and cop a beating like that?," said Hussein. "I do wish his corner or the referee would have stopped it earlier."
Burgos' record fell to 39-15-3 with the loss to the undefeated Darchinyan, who is 28-0 with 22 knockouts.
Burgos won the IBF junior flyweight title in 2003, and moved up to the 112-pound flyweight limit to challenge Darchinyan.
The 32-year-old fighter has been joined at the hospital by his wife, Claudia, his manager, and several family members and friends.
The bout was on the undercard of a 122-pound title fight between champions Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez.
Marquez overcame a knockdown to win when Vazquez couldn't continue after seven rounds due to a broken nose.
With files from the Associated Press
