Japanese boxer Jin Sasaki experienced a six-week memory loss following his severe knockout defeat to Brian Norman Jr.
Sasaki faced the American fighter for the WBO welterweight title in Tokyo on Thursday afternoon.
However, his attempt to capture the 147lbs championship in what was considered the most challenging bout of his career concluded with a harsh knockout in the fifth round.
A precise counter left hook from Norman Jr struck the 23-year-old Sasaki`s jaw, causing him to fall heavily to the canvas. The back of his head also made hard contact with the floor.
Medical personnel quickly attended to him as the referee performed a count that seemed unnecessary given Sasaki`s condition. He lay motionless for over a minute before being taken from the ring on a stretcher and transported to the hospital for neurological evaluations.
Fortunately, initial scans revealed no serious brain injury, and he was discharged from the hospital later the same day.
Despite the lack of major physical injury, the knockout reportedly erased his memory of the preceding six weeks, according to Issei Nakaya, the president of Sasaki`s gym.
Nakaya stated that Sasaki remarked, “I don`t even remember that this title match was decided.”
A statement detailing Sasaki`s condition confirmed he was taken to the hospital after hitting the back of his head hard and underwent a CT scan. It noted the absence of bleeding or visible physical injuries but confirmed his current memory loss. He was scheduled for another hospital checkup the following day for continued monitoring.
The loss to Norman Jr was only the second professional defeat for Sasaki.
Meanwhile, Brian Norman Jr. maintained his undefeated streak, improving his record to a perfect 28-0, and is now looking towards potentially unifying the division titles.
