Boxer Is No Longer on Respirator

Chris Schwenke, the boxer who lapsed into a coma after losing on a technical knockout in a light-heavyweight fight July 22 at the Forum against Prince Mohammed, was taken off a respirator Friday, and doctors said he was no longer in a life-threatening situation.

“His condition has gone from critical to guarded,” said Christie Plank, spokeswoman for Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in Inglewood.

Plank reported that Schwenke sat up with assistance later in the day, ate and talked. Counseling was also begun.

Plank said there is no long-term prognosis on Schwenke, who lost consciousness in his locker room 20 minutes after the 10-round fight against Mohammed, the World Boxing Council’s No. 2 ranked light-heavyweight. Schwenke underwent surgery to repair ruptured blood vessels on the right side of his brain and to relieve the swelling caused by the bleeding and clotting.