LONDON • Nick Blackwell woke from his induced coma on Saturday and was talking to family and close friends on Sunday, his promoter Hennessy Sports said yesterday.

The middleweight boxer was put in an induced coma after suffering internal bleeding in his 12-round British title fight against Chris Eubank Jr on March 26 at Wembley Arena.

The bout was stopped in the 10th round after the doctor decided Blackwell, 25, could not see sufficiently from his left eye.

A statement from Hennessy Sports read: "Nick was in an induced coma for almost seven days, given the very best possible treatment by the incredible team at St Mary's Hospital, and the sedatives used were gradually reduced over this period of time.

"Finally, at the weekend, Nick woke from this induced coma, acknowledged the voices of loved ones and, by Sunday, was starting to talk. It was the outcome everyone had been hoping and praying for; Nick had won his toughest fight yet."

Leading British neurosurgeon Peter Hamlyn was critical of how long it took referee Victor Loughlin to stop the fight, insisting that it should have gone no further than the seventh round.

THE GUARDIAN