Thankfully, Jermain Taylor is out of the Berlin hospital after suffering a 12th-round knockout against Arthur Abraham in their opening bout of the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament on Saturday.
Taylor, who suffered a severe concussion and short-term memory loss, will remain in Europe for a planned vacation with his wife.
"I want to thank all my fans and those concerned and let everyone know I'm doing just fine and feeling good," Taylor said in a statement. "I want to congratulate Arthur Abraham on his victory and wish him well in the tournament. Right now my plans are to relax and enjoy my vacation in Europe with my wife, Erica."
Taylor did not make any statements about his future in the Super Six, although many believe he will withdraw after suffering his fourth loss, including his third bad knockout, in his past five fights. If Taylor remains in the tournament, he would face Andre Ward in the spring.
Lou DiBella, Taylor's promoter who arrived back in the United States on Sunday, is happy Taylor is OK.
"All of us at DiBella Entertainment are grateful that Jermain is feeling better after fighting his heart out on Saturday night," DiBella said. "Jermain showed his warrior spirit after working tirelessly to approach the fight in the finest shape of his career. Happily, with the doctor's blessing, he has been released from the hospital and is presently relaxing in Europe. This is the best news we could've received."
Abraham, who next faces Andre Dirrell in early 2010, was also relieved that Taylor was released from the hospital.
"I was very sorry when I heard about him spending the night in the hospital," Abraham said. "I want to defeat my opponents in the ring but I do not want to harm them. The health is the most important thing and I am very happy that Jermain is doing fine. It was an honor to fight him. I hope I get some time off from coach Ulli Wegner. Now that I know that Jermain is OK, I can start to celebrate my success -- but only for a couple of days before I begin my preparation for Dirrell."
Dan Rafael
