American boxer Patrick Day has been placed in a coma after being hit with a severe knockout blow. Everyone who has ever watched the sport understands just how dangerous stepping into the ring can be… and many of those who don’t watch it, avoid it for that exact reason. Day was on the receiving end of a battering from his opponent Charles Conwell in Chicago’s Wintrust Arena in an event headlined by Oleskandr Usyk's heavyweight debut against Chazz Witherspoon – who won in the seventh round. The 27-year-old was on the backfoot right from the early rounds and was later knocked down in the fourth and eighth before being put out in the 10th with two swift rights and a left hook.The fighter was out for some time too, remaining on the canvas for several minutes before being elevated away via a stretcher whilst being aided by an oxygen mask.It was then that the junior middleweight was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in an ambulance, a three-mile drive from the arena; he reportedly suffered seizures before his arrival there.ESPN reported that he has since undergone emergency brain surgery. It is yet to be determined whether or not the coma was medically induced. It is known that he was incubated sometime after arriving at the hospital.Reporting at the fight, The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger took to Twitter to update fans on the situation, claiming that the fighter was out after his head hit the mat, following Conwell’s combination. 

The event was organised by Matchroom Boxing, and promoter Eddie Hearn - along with several other fighters and people surrounding the sport – took to social media to pay their respective tributes. 

Hearn said that his ‘deepest prayers' are with Day and all of his family and friends.

Day suffered only his second defeat in a row following a 10-round decision loss to upcoming junior middleweight contender Carlos Adames on June 28. Conwell improved to 11-0, with eight KOs. Day now sits with a record of 17-4-1.