BEIJING, Aug 10: Samoan light-heavyweight Farani Tavui was taken to hospital on Saturday after he was knocked unconscious by his Croatian opponent in the Beijing Olympics boxing preliminaries.

The Olympic debutant had regained consciousness by the time he was put on board the ambulance, said Charles Butler, head of the International Amateur Boxing Association’s medical commission.

Nevertheless he was undergoing “routine” tests to ensure he did not suffer internal bleeding to the brain from the impact of the punches that could have been aggravated after he collapsed and his head hit the canvas, Butler added.

“I cannot take the risk about this second impact syndrome,” he told reporters.

Tavui, 22, was being comprehensively outclassed by Marijo Sivolija-Jelica, silver medallist at the 2005 world championships when the referee gave him a standing count 23 seconds into the third round after taking a left-right combination to the head.Samoa’s lone Olympic boxer walked to the neutral corner, but staggered sideways and fell to his side before he could reach it. He tried to stand up but could not and fell again.

The ring doctor jumped in and immediately called for the stretcher as the referee stopped the fight.

Tavui appeared conscious but was put in head and leg restraints as medical staff carried him out of the arena on a stretcher.

Butler said that “for a very short period” the boxer must have been unconscious, though he was responding well later.

“I feel very confident that this young man will be okay,” Butler added.

Sivolija-Jelica said he was worried for his opponent’s safety.

“I don’t enjoy [inflicting] such injuries because it can always happen to me,” said the tall Croatian.

“I am not cruel. I am an emotional boxer, I’m not pleased.”—AFP