Lee Reeves hospitalised after Gary Cully knockout

DUBLIN: Irish boxer Lee Reeves was taken to hospital after suffering a devastating 10th-round knockout defeat to fellow Irishman Gary Cully during their bout here at Dublin's 3Arena on Saturday.

The 31-year-old was floored twice in the final round, with the second knockdown proving decisive as he was unable to beat the referee's count.

Medical personnel attended to Reeves in the ring before he was placed on a stretcher and transported to hospital for further assessment.

The contest formed part of the undercard for the Pierce O'Leary versus Mark Chamberlain event in the Irish capital.

Following the incident, Queensberry promoter Frank Warren issued a statement expressing his concern for Reeves and his family.

"All our thoughts and prayers are with Lee Reeves and his family at this time as he remains in hospital.

"Everyone at Queensberry is thinking of him and we're in constant contact with his team regarding his condition as we hope for positive news."

Cully, who improved his record with the stoppage victory, also paid tribute to his opponent and wished him a full recovery.

"My prayers and thoughts are with Lee Reeves, hopefully he's okay," Cully said.

"He came in there as a big underdog after fighting relatively at a lower level up until now, but he really showed that he can operate at a higher level. Huge credit to him."

The fight had been competitive before the dramatic conclusion, with Reeves producing a spirited display against the more experienced Cully.

However, the closing stages ended on a worrying note as medical staff rushed to assist the stricken fighter.

No further update on Reeves' condition had been released immediately following the bout.