Nick Blackwell’s brother Dan says ‘small improvements’

It’s a case of one day at a time for stricken Nick Blackwell as the ex-British middleweight champion continues his recovery from a second brain injury. The 26 year-old is making slow progress after undergoing surgery on the back of an unsanctioned sparring session in November last year. Blackwell has already made startling progress from time spent in a coma last March following a loss to Chris Eubank Jr. before taking several blows against doctors wishes months later.

Brother Dan, himself a fighter, was unable to give a significant update this week on the back of news in January stating Nick faced up to a year of recuperation time and was still unable to walk.

“Things are pretty much the same, to be honest, and it’s a slow process at the moment,” Dan exclusively told World Boxing News on Wednesday.

“Nick is still taking it day-by-day. He’s been making some small improvements but it's obviously tiring him out the more he does.”

Asked whether he had any thoughts on the suspensions handed out to Liam Wilkins and Hasan Karkardi for their part in the sparring session that left Nick worse off than after the Eubank fight, Blackwell was keen to keep the spotlight solely on his sibling’s well-being.

“We are more focused on Nick than anything, we are hoping to see further improvements soon,” he said.

Dan, 23, initially retired for four months on the back of Nick’s defeat to Eubank Jr. before returning in July and fighting seven times in that period. Since Nick’s second setback, Dan has kept himself out of the ring and it is as yet unclear when he will be back in action anytime soon.