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Boxer out of coma after 3 weeks, says girlfriend

Montreal - Former light-heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson has come out of a coma three weeks after a knockout loss to Oleksandr Gvozdyk, the fighter's girlfriend said Saturday.

Simone "Sisi" God, issued a statement via social media saying the fighter was awake.

"Despite recent reports being leaked to media, I wanted to clarify that Adonis is awake," God said. "He is healing from his injury in the private company of his family and his dedicated medical team."

Boxing promoter Yvon Michel said on Thursday that Stevenson was still in a medically induced coma and on life support.

"He still needs mechanical assistance to breathe, and he has not regained consciousness," Michel said. "When we visit him, we cannot stay with him for long, and the doctors do not venture an opinion on what lies ahead."

God's statement gave no indication of when Stevenson emerged from a coma. A spokesman for University Hospital of Quebec, contacted by AFP, said he was unable to confirm Stevenson's condition.

Michel posted on Twitter Saturday saying "Great News" adding that he had spoken with God and "things have evolved enormously".

Stevenson, a 41-year-old Canadian fighter of Haitian descent, was helped to the dressing room after losing the World Boxing Council crown in his 10th title defence over five years.

After unbeaten 31-year-old Gvozdyk finished him off with a crushing right hand that left Stevenson leaning awkwardly against the ropes, Stevenson was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

Doctors aid he suffered "severe traumatic brain injury" that required neurosurgery.

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