Shadasia Green, former unified super-middleweight champion, is currently receiving treatment for a brain bleed after her stoppage defeat to Lani Daniels. The incident occurred on Friday night at the Madison Square Garden Theater in New York. Green was taken from the ring on a stretcher and subsequently hospitalized.
Green has confirmed she is in intensive care and "on the road to healing," with initial reports indicating no surgery is immediately required for the injury.
The fight, a co-main event on the Alycia Baumgardner vs. Bo Mi Re Shin card, saw Daniels stop Green in the ninth round. The referee intervened after Daniels landed a series of unanswered punches, prompting Green to be removed from the ring. She had previously appeared exhausted and slow in the eighth round, and was reportedly slow to rise from her stool to begin the ninth.
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While Green has expressed a determination to return, stating, "I'll be back to get what's mine," medical regulations, particularly in New York, present a significant hurdle. The New York State Athletic Commission's guidelines, updated in November 2022, deem individuals who have sustained "serious traumatic brain injuries" ineligible to compete. Previous cases, such as that of heavyweight contender Joe Mesi, illustrate the commission's stringent approach to licensing fighters with documented head trauma. This could potentially mean a prolonged absence, with some speculating a year or more out of the ring, and possibly an inability to secure a license to fight in New York again.
Green, who holds a professional record of 16-2, had previously achieved notable victories, including an upset win over Savannah Marshall, and was considered a prospective opponent for Claressa Shields. Her career trajectory had positioned her as a significant figure in the super-middleweight division. News of her injury has prompted widespread messages of support from within the boxing community.
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