Heavyweight Magomed Abdusalamov’s condition is improving, leading doctors to believe he may survive despite being in a coma.
Vice president of Sampson Boxing, which promotes the fighter, Nathan Lewkowicz, spoke about Abdusalamov’s condition on Thursday.
“A week ago, the doctors thought he was not going to make it, that he would not survive. They said they were 100 percent sure he would not make it,” Lewkowicz said. “Now they think it has turned around. They say he is going to make it now. They have seen progress with his motor skills from the tests they have been doing.
“The words out of their mouth after the surgery were, ‘We don’t think he’s going to make it.’ They said that to the family. Now, based on how he’s progressed in these different tests, they changed their view. From what the doctor is saying the brain swelling has subsided.”
The 32-year old fighter who has a wife and three children, was put in medically induced coma following brain surgery to remove a blood clot that formed during his brutal 10-round decision loss to Mike Perez on Nov. 2 in New York.
He was placed in the coma in order to give the swelling in his brain to to subside.
Lewkowicz said that doctors plan to bring Abdusalamov out ofhis coma in the upcoming days.
“They think they will try to wake him up in two or three days and see how he reacts,” Lewkowicz said. “We don’t know if his speech will be slurred or if he will be blind, which are major possibilities. The stroke could hinder some of his motor skills. He might not be able to speak well. He might be blind. The best we hope for is that he can lead a normal life.”
Shortly after his brain surgery, Abdusalamov suffered a stroke while in the coma, and saw his temperature rise dramatically. Doctors were unsure of what damage may have been done as a result. However, the fighter surprisingly showed signs of improvement in the last few days.
“They did a test by pinching his arm and he was smacking the doctor’s hand away, showing his motor skills are coming back. They weren’t expecting that,” Lewkowicz said. “It’s amazing progress. It’s good news. He’s still young, only 32, and was in good health before what happened. So that is very helpful.”
The danger Abdusalamov was in was not immediately apparent after the fight. He left the ring to go to the hospital to get superficial injuries checked out, but soon complained of feeling ill before vomiting. Once at the hospital, a CT scan revealed the blood clot, prompting doctors to rush him into surgery.
