Russian light-heavyweight boxer Roman Simakov has died after being knocked out and put in a coma during a WBC Asian title fight.
The 27-year-old had to be carried from the ring on a stretcher after a seventh-round knockout by compatriot Sergei Kovalev in their fight in Yekaterinburg on Tuesday.
The Russian Boxing Federation says Simakov fell into a coma and was taken to hospital but the doctors were not able to revive him," the RBF said in a brief statement on their website.
Simakov was knocked down in the sixth round by Kovalev, who's 28, but got back to his feet, only to be sent to the canvas again in the following round.
The Ria Novosti news agency reported that a post mortem would take place to establish the precise cause of death.
Simakov, who began his career in 2008, won 19 of his 22 fights, with nine victories inside the distance.
