Featherweight boxer Daniel Franco emerges from coma after suffering brain bleeds in KO loss

After being knocked out on a nationally televised card, featherweight Daniel Franco is now out of intensive care.

One week prior to former UFC fighter Tim Hague’s ultimately fatal boxing match with Adam Braidwood, there was another pro boxer who’d suffered a brain injury following a knockout loss.

On June 10th, featherweight prospect Daniel Franco (16-2-3, 11 KOs) fought Jose Haro (14-1-1, 8 KOs) on a card televised by CBS Sports Network in Iowa. In the eighth round of a scheduled ten, Haro walloped Franco with a brutal right hand that produced an immediate end to the fight.

While Franco was able to get back to his stool in the aftermath of the KO, he laid back down on the ring after the official result was read, and was stretchered out of the ring and immediately transported to a hospital. Franco was placed in a coma and underwent emergency surgery for two brain bleeds.

There is some encouraging news to report, courtesy of Al Franco, Daniel’s father and trainer. As he told ESPN’s Dan Rafael, his son is now out of a coma, breathing on his own, and is in a regular hospital bed.

"Daniel had his breathing tube removed and is breathing on his own," Al Franco said. "They added an IV to his carotid artery in his neck and removed all other IVs. He's progressing well and it's all thanks to the great doctors and you all. Thank you all for your prayers.

"Daniel was moved out of intensive care unit and into a regular room. He's responding well and is becoming more alert."

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Franco said the family faces mounting medical bills that likely will run into seven figures. They have so far raised just over $40,000 through a Go Fund Me account set up to assist with the considerable medical expenses.

"Thank you all so much for the continued support financially and spiritually," Al Franco said. "Please keep the prayers coming. Please keep sharing. Please say his name in your head or whisper it, any acknowledgment to help keep the positive vibes."

The 25-year-old Franco, who is signed to Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports, was also knocked out by Christopher Martin in March, but California only issued a 45-day medical suspension. He quickly returned to the ring in May for what amounted to a squash match KO over an 0-1 opponent in Mexico, which set up the Haro bout just a few days ago. Iowa’s commission has placed Franco on an indefinite medical suspension, but after this near-death experience, you would think that his boxing career has come to an end.