Nick Blackwell's brother Dan retires from boxing
Thursday 28 April 2016 13:32, UK
Nick Blackwell's younger brother Dan has retired from boxing after fearing for his sibling's life following the fight with Chris Eubank Jr.
Dan Blackwell, a respected and resilient journeyman boxer who was stopped only once in 61 fights, watched his older brother collapse following the end of his British middleweight title defeat by Eubank Jr in March.
Dethroned champion Nick was found to have suffered a bleed on the skull and was placed into an induced coma from which he has since awoken and made encouraging progress.
Dan followed Nick to hospital after the fight, fearing his brother would die.
The 23-year-old full-time bricklayer said he took the decision to retire from boxing before knowing whether Nick would recover.
He said he did not want his own family ever experiencing the same fears over him.
"I thought my brother was dead: just that thought," Blackwell told Press Association Sport.
"It wasn't me worried about myself, it was me thinking 'God, if I was ever in that position to put my own family through this...'.
"I've got a missus and two kids, at the time I was thinking 'I can't believe I've done this'.
"When it all happened, I was outside waiting at the hospital to see what was going on, we had doctors going in and out but not telling us.
"The worry of me thinking 'He could be dead'; it was how my family would be feeling. I wouldn't ever want to put them through that.
"I remember I sent a message to my girlfriend (Chantelle), I was a mess on the night, saying 'I'm sorry for what I put you through if you felt one per cent of what I'm feeling now. I'm never going to box again'.
"What I went through with Nick was horrible."
The injuries Nick suffered means he will never again fight as a professional.
Dan's only stoppage defeat came against the promising Liam Williams and he still had much to offer in the ring.
But his decision to quit the sport was also a show of support to his brother and he will now seek overtime as a bricklayer to cover the loss of income.
"My mum (Cindy) has never liked me and Nick boxing," he said. "(But) I've always done what Nick's done.
"I don't want to be still in boxing, fighting and all the rest of it, knowing he can't fight. With him, I don't think it's sunk in yet that he's not fighting anymore.
"I'm upset I'm not going to be boxing again. It was something I liked doing for the weekend: it was good fun hanging out with the lads who came out on the road with me.
"Not being able to do it again is horrible."
