Boxer Has Brain Surgery After Loss

Nigerian Kid Akeem Anifowoshe was hospitalized in critical condition because of a blood clot Saturday after being beaten by International Boxing Federation junior bantamweight champion Robert Quiroga at San Antonio.

Anifowoshe collapsed shortly after the decision was announced and was taken to Baptist Medical Center. He underwent surgery to relieve pressure on his brain and was moved to an intensive care unit, where he was still reported to be unconscious late Saturday night.

The surgery involved implantation of a small valve to alleviate pressure to the right side of the boxer’s brain and Anifowoshe was also receiving medication to ease the pressure, a hospital spokesman said.

Geraldo Zavala, a neurosurgeon who was one of the ringside doctors, said the boxer’s condition was not as serious as initially believed.

“It is serious, but he doesn’t need any major surgery immediately,” Zavala said.

Said Bill Baxter, the boxer’s manager: “(Anifowoshe) was standing when the fight was over. Then he started spitting up blood and he collapsed like he’d been shot. He never regained consciousness.”

Park Young-kyun of South Korea knocked out Masuaki Takeda of Japan in the sixth round to defend his World Boxing Assn. featherweight championship at Seoul.