Last week, Irish boxing fans witnessed a frightening scene at Dublin’s 3Arena. On the undercard of Pierce O’Leary vs. Mark Chamberlain, local fighter Lee Reeves faced fellow Irishman Gary Cully for the BUI Celtic super-lightweight title in what became a brutal contest for the 31-year-old Reeves.

Cully dropped Reeves twice during the tenth round, and after Reeves hit the canvas for the second time, he was unable to beat the referee’s count. The Irishman was subsequently carried out of the arena on a stretcher and rushed to a hospital for further medical attention. While Reeves remains hospitalized, Zuffa Boxing has returned to the same venue for its 10th event today. During the broadcast, the promotion paid tribute to Reeves.

In light of what happened last week, a reporter asked Zuffa COO Harrison Whitman at the post-fight presser whether the medical situation had been discussed with the team ahead of the event. In response, Whitman revealed that Zuffa’s medical team had taken extra precautions to ensure they were fully prepared should a similar incident occur.

“Yeah, we were absolutely aware,” Zuffa COO said. “Our medical team took extra precautions this week to make sure they had extra facilities and ambulances to the right kind of equipment. God forbid something like that happened, we’d be able to address it quickly and efficiently. And thank God that didn’t happen.”

Get the EssentiallySports Daily Newsletter. Stay ahead of the game with daily updates, exclusive stories, expert takes, and the biggest moments from the world's most popular sports.

Whitman did not provide details about the specific measures implemented for the event. Fortunately, the team had little need to put those precautions into action because Zuffa Boxing’s night in Ireland produced relatively few stoppages. Of the eight fights on the card, only three ended in finishes, while the other five went the distance and were decided by the judges, including both the main event and co-main event.

However, last year, a boxing commission was forced to take immediate action following a devastating tragedy that shocked the boxing world.

In August 2025, two young Japanese fighters, Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa Urakawa, tragically passed away after suffering head injuries in their respective bouts on the same card. In the aftermath, the Japan Boxing Commission introduced drastic safety measures aimed at preventing a similar catastrophe from happening again.

According to a report by The Guardian, the JBC ordered ambulances to be stationed at every boxing event and required organizers to maintain coordination with hospitals in case of an emergency, particularly involving brain injuries. In fact, the commission also introduced pre-fight urine tests for fighters and imposed stricter controls on drastic weight-cutting practices in an effort to stop future tragedies.

Thankfully, Lee Reeves’ case did not escalate to the same extent. However, the 31-year-old remains in the hospital recovering from his injuries. Given what happened, it was expected that Zuffa Boxing would take the necessary precautions for its Dublin event and would likely continue to prioritize enhanced safety measures at future events, too.

Amid the ongoing concerns, however, some positive news has emerged, as Reeves’ promoter shared an encouraging update on the 31-year-old.

Frank Warren shares positive update on Lee Reeves’ condition  

Since Lee Reeves was admitted to the hospital, Frank Warren has shown immense support for the Irish boxer. After all, the O’Leary vs. Chamberlain event, where Reeves suffered the devastating knockout, was promoted by Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.

“All our thoughts and prayers are with Lee Reeves and his family at this time as he remains in hospital,” the veteran promoter wrote on X.

Following his initial show of support, Warren later shared an encouraging update on Reeves’ condition, revealing that his team had remained in constant contact with the Irish boxer’s representatives and that he was finally showing signs of recovery.

“My team have been in touch with Lee’s team and he is making progress. That’s what we’re hearing and thank the Lord for that,” the 74-year-old promoter further shared on social media.

Subsequently, hundreds of Reeves’ well-wishers gathered in his hometown of Limerick for a community vigil hosted by Limerick Treaty Suicide Prevention (LTSP), showing their solidarity with the accomplished local boxer.

For now, the priority remains Reeves’ recovery. With encouraging updates emerging, fans across Ireland and the boxing community will hope the 31-year-old continues to make progress and eventually returns home to his loved ones.