John Cooney: Boxer in intensive care after Nathan Howells bout

Super-featherweight boxer John Cooney is currently in intensive care after losing to Welsh fighter Nathan Howells in a bout held in Belfast on Saturday. The match took place at Ulster Hall and was stopped in the ninth round, marking Cooney's first defense of his Celtic super-featherweight title.

The 28-year-old boxer was immediately assessed by the on-site medical team after the fight, before being stretchered out and transported to Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for further treatment. Cooney's promoter, Mark Dunlop, released a statement on Monday stating that his fighter "suffered a bleed on the brain and underwent immediate surgery to relieve pressure on the brain."

Dunlop added, "John is currently in intensive care and is being well looked after by the hospital's ICU team." The Galway boxer won the Celtic title in November 2023 after defeating Liam Gaynor in the first round as part of the undercard for Katie Taylor's rematch against Chantelle Cameron at Dublin's 3Arena.

Prior to facing Howells, Cooney had been sidelined for a year due to a hand injury, after which he defeated Tanzania's Tembela Maharusi in London in October 2024. He had previously been training in Manchester with former world title challenger Zelfa Barrett.