LONDON - British boxer Spencer Oliver was in critical condition Sunday following brain surgery to remove a blood clot suffered in his European super-bantamweight title fight against Ukrainian Sergei Devakov. The 22-year-old Oliver, who was on a ventilator following three-hour operation to remove the clot, was knocked down for the second time in the Saturday bout in the 10th round. It was his fourth defense of his European title.

The operation lasted three hours and he is now in a critical but stable condition in intensive care where he is on a ventilator, said a spokesman of the national hospital in London. Oliver had won his previous 14 fights and was ahead on points when Devakov floored him with a right hand in the fight at royal Albert Hall in west London. The champion staggered back, crashed to the floor and pulled himself up at the nine count before French referee Alfred Azaro stopped the fight.

He was also knocked down in the first round by a left hook. Oliver, nicknamed the Omen, was a silver medalist at the commonwealth games in Canada in 1994. The incident comes two weeks after fellow British boxer Chris Eubank was treated in hospital following his defeat in a punishing 12-round championship bout. (AP)