Nick Blackwell ‘out of coma’ after being injured in a sparring session

Former boxer Nick Blackwell has woken from a coma after sustaining injuries in a sparring session.

Earlier in the year, the former British middleweight champion had spent a week in a medically-induced coma after suffering a bleed on the brain following his March fight with Chris Eubank Jnr. Following this, he retired from fighting and was issued with a trainer's licence. However, earlier this month it was reported that he had been taken back to hospital in November. British Boxing Board general secretary Robert Smith told The Sun at the time that Blackwell had fallen ill after taking part in a sparring session. As reported by the BBC, Blackwell has had further surgery to reduce swelling on his brain which occurred as a result of his return to sparring. Some reports have suggested part of his skull had to be removed in order to alleviate pressure on his brain. The BBC also add that a British Boxing Board of Control hearing will look into the unsanctioned sparring session next month. The Mirror report that Hasan Karkardi, Blackwell's sparring partner, has since been suspended.