Britain’s Watson Requires Two Operations After Defeat

Britain’s Michael Watson underwent two brain operations and was in critical condition Sunday after losing his World Boxing Organization super-middleweight title fight to countryman Chris Eubank on Saturday night.

A blood clot was removed from Watson’s brain early Sunday. He underwent further brain surgery Sunday night after his condition deteriorated.

Doctors at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital said they were returning Watson, 26, to life support after the second operation.

“At this stage it is very difficult to say what will be the outcome of this treatment,” neurosurgeon Peter Hamlyn said before the second operation.

Watson dominated most of the fight and knocked Eubank down late in the 11th round. But Eubank knocked down Watson a few seconds before the end of that round.

Watson was still wobbly at the start of the 12th round, and after Eubank landed a series of punches, referee Roy Francis stopped the fight 29 seconds into the round.

Eubank, too, spent a night in the hospital to recover from the fight.