Adonis Stevenson placed in medically induced coma to reduce brain swelling

Adonis Stevenson remains intensive care after being knocked out in the 11th round on Saturday night by Oleksandr Gvozdyk in their light heavyweight championship bout in Quebec City.

According to the Montreal Journal, Stevenson has been placed in a medically induced coma as a precautionary measure to reduce swelling.

Gvozdyk (16-0, 13 KO's), 31, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics representing Ukraine, ended Stevenson's five-and-a-half-year reign with a series of heavy blows that left the Haitian-born, Canada-based boxer on the floor struggling to get up before medical personnel arrived on the scene.

Gvozdyk has knocked out or stopped nine of his last 10 opponents.

The 41-year-old Stevenson (29-2-1, 24 KO's) earned the WBC belt in June 2013, knocking out former world champion Chad Dawson in 76 seconds with a first-round knockout of former world champion Chad Dawson and concluded a Fighter of the Year campaign in 2013 with a seventh-round stoppage of ex-titlist Tavoris Cloud in September. He made eight defenses after that fight, but many of them were against less than stellar opposition. However, he did fight former two-division world champion Badou Jack to a draw in May.

"News on the condition of Adonis. The family of Adonis and Yvon Michel are currently with Adonis Stevenson,” Stevenson’s promoter, Yvon Michel, tweeted Sunday morning.

"They want to inform friends and supporters that Adonis is currently in critical condition in intensive care, at the hospital, following his fight against Oleksander Gvozdyk. They appreciate the concern and support of everyone. There will be no further comments at this time, and they respectfully request your understanding in their desire to stay private."