Last night, the boxing world reacted in shock when, at an Irish boxing event, fighter Glenn Byrne’s opponent, William Crolla (10-1-0), delivered a brutal knockout in the 7th round of a super welterweight bout, forcing the Irishman to be rushed to the hospital. After taking heavy punches, Byrne lay motionless in the ring for a prolonged period, alarming everyone as medical staff rushed in with oxygen.

Still, it wasn’t enough, and his promoters and family quickly carried him out on a stretcher following the devastating fight. Now, hours later, the promotion issued an official statement on the 29-year-old Glenn Byrne’s health.

Irish boxing promotion breaks the silence after a fighter was rushed to the hospital

The Dublin-based promotion JB Boxing Promotions later confirmed that Byrne suffered a “heavy concussion” but is now “okay.” At the same time, Byrne’s opponent, the Englishman William Crolla, also released a statement, saying he is “sorry” for celebrating after his win and hopes that Byrne’s health is “okay.”

In a further shocking statement, the promoter blamed the referee for the mishap during the 7th round. The fight saw Crolla knocked down three times in the second round before the bell and dropped for a fourth time inside the opening minute of the fifth, but he managed to get back on his feet. The promoter argued that the referee should have stopped the fight earlier.

“That referee is the reason there are deaths in boxing,” the promoter said. “William should have been stopped after the three knockdowns, and both would have gone home safe. This is not about winning or losing; this is about safety in our sport. That is why this sport is so incredible.

“I think William Crolla deserves so much respect. We all hope that Glenn Byrne is OK. We believe that he is, but we’ll keep everybody updated. Our thoughts are with him.”

Our prayers go out to Byrne for his speedy recovery. Unfortunately, his brother, who is also his manager, revealed that Glenn Byrne is not okay, and as a result, his boxing career now appears to be over. His brother said he “bled on his brain” and confirmed that doctors will keep Glenn under observation for the “next 24 hours.”

Despite this, he remains hopeful for a recovery, but later shared the “heartbreaking” news that Glenn’s boxing career has ended.

“His career is over, he’ll never box again,” Glenn Byrne’s brother added.

In addition, the Irishman’s promotion also confirmed that they admitted him to a “different” country, though they did not disclose which one. They believe it is the UK, about seven hours away. At this point, only time will tell if Byrne can ever return to the ring. Despite his brother’s official statement, Glenn Byrne insists otherwise.

Glenn Byrne breaks the silence on a potential ring comeback

29-year-old Glenn Byrne quickly rose as one of Irish boxing’s brightest prospects, making a name for himself in the local circuit. Before this fight, he held an unbeaten record of 7-0-1. However, after William Crolla’s knockout, his health faced a serious risk, and he is now fighting for his life. In recent years, several young boxers have tragically lost their lives in the ring, including 28-year-old John Cooney, who died while fighting Nathan Howells in Belfast last year.

Thankfully, Glenn Byrne survived, but he now plans to sue the commission for allowing the referee to continue the fight after the second round. Now conscious, Glenn Byrne shared an update on his Instagram story, posting a picture of himself along with highlights from the fight.

“Thanks to everyone for the messages of support,” Glenn Byrne wrote. “I’ll get back to everyone over the next few days.”

What are your thoughts on the referee’s handling of the fight? Share your take below.