July 20, 2008	Sunday	Rajab 16, 1429

SAN ANTONIO (Texas), July 19: Doctors were cautiously optimistic on Friday as welterweight boxer Oscar Diaz continued to improve in the wake of brain surgery that followed his collapse in a bout on Wednesday.

“The brain is back to its normal size and position, and the swelling has gone down,” promoter Donna Duva-Brooks said in a statement.

Neurosurgeon David Jimenez operated for two hours on the left side of the fighter’s head on Wednesday night and, according to Duva-Brooks, is pleased with recovery thus far of the 25-year-old Diaz, who remains unconscious.

“He was operated on within two hours of the injury and the doctor said it was of great benefit how fast they were able to get him to the hospital,” she said.

There will be a long recovery, but the outlook appeared somewhat brighter for Diaz, whose record fell to 26-3 as a result of the technical-knockout loss to Delvin Rodriguez.

“Oscar’s vital signs are good and he has been showing slight improvement each day,” Duva-Brooks said. “Doctors say it could take up to a week to come out of the coma.

“We are encouraged by the news that the swelling in his brain is gone, and we’re all praying for him and taking it day by day.”—AFP