Whittom, who was defeated for the 24th time against Gary Kopas in New Brunswick, Canada, had previously lost to Adonis Stevenson in 2007 and Hughie Fury in 2013.
After the final round stoppage, the 38 year-old showed worrying signs in the dressing room and was rushed to hospital where doctors revealed Whittom had suffered a brain hemorrhage.
“He’s considered in stable condition but he suffered a traumatic brain injury,” stepbrother Eric Moffatt told cbc.ca. “We’re not sure how that’s going to play out at this point.
“It’s one of those things where we expect the worst and hope for the best. The brain has to decide how it’s going to heal … it’s going to be a long process.”
Even organizer Brandon Brewer said Whittom was always in the contest with Kopas, right up until the referee halted the bout in the tenth.
“It was a war. It was a good fight back and forth.”
Despite taking a position with his family at ringside, Whittom was unable to answer straight questions like the date, which year we are and where we are right now, according to trainer François Duguay.
A short time later, Duguay said Whittom then seemed OK.
“We went back to the dressing room and he was talking normally,” he said. “(But) He went in the shower and he was yelling in the shower that the water was too cold.”
Eventually, Whittom was dropped off at his mother’s house where things took a turn for the worst and his team knew treatment was needed.
Unpon arriving at Chalmers Regional Hospital, a CT scan revealed the damage.
“The family is looking for thoughts and prayers for David’s hopeful recovery from this,” added Moffatt.
