A championship boxing match in England took a frightening turn when a fighter suffered enormous swelling across his face and forehead following a collision with his opponent, leaving fans stunned that he was allowed to keep fighting.
British boxer Zak Miller, 29, was challenging Gully Powar, 24, for the vacant British featherweight title Saturday, November 7, at Manchester’s AO Arena when an accidental clash of heads caused his face to swell dramatically.
The fight was part of the undercard for the highly anticipated rematch between Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson, but Miller’s alarming injuries quickly became one of the night’s biggest talking points.
The contest had been competitive through the opening rounds, with both fighters exchanging punches and battling for control. Everything changed in the seventh round when their heads collided, leaving Miller with a rapidly growing lump above one eye and cuts around his face.
As the fight continued, the swelling became increasingly pronounced. Large, rounded lumps developed across his forehead and near both eyes, dramatically changing his appearance.
The injuries appeared consistent with hematomas, which occur when blood collects beneath the skin following damage to blood vessels. Such swelling can sometimes develop rapidly after blunt-force impact.
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Despite the visible injuries, Miller continued fighting.
A ringside physician examined him during the ninth round and initially allowed the contest to proceed. But when the swelling worsened, referee Mark Lyson intervened during the 10th round, ending the bout following another medical assessment.
The decision came after fans and commentators had already expressed growing concern about Miller’s condition.
Former world boxing champion Carl Frampton, working as a commentator for DAZN, was visibly stunned by the severity of the swelling.
“That is the worst I’ve ever seen,” Frampton said.
Fellow broadcaster Ade Oladipo echoed that reaction, describing the hematomas as among the most severe he had witnessed in boxing.
Viewers watching the fight were equally shocked, with several questioning why Miller’s corner had not stopped the contest sooner.
One fan criticized the decision to let him continue, arguing that his team should have stepped in before the referee was forced to end the fight.
Another viewer expressed concern for Miller’s health and wished him a speedy recovery.
Because the injury resulted from an accidental clash of heads rather than a legal punch, the fight was decided by the judges’ scorecards instead of being recorded as a knockout.
Powar was awarded a unanimous technical decision, with the judges scoring the contest narrowly in his favor. The victory earned him the vacant British featherweight championship.
It was a major achievement for Powar, who had previously challenged for the same title in April but was forced to settle for a draw against Rhys Edwards.
For Miller, however, the night ended with a painful defeat and serious concern over the extent of his injuries.
The Manchester fighter had entered the bout hoping to capture a prestigious domestic championship in front of his hometown crowd. Instead, the fight became a stark reminder of how quickly an accidental collision can turn a competitive boxing match into a medical emergency.
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