(Wellington) New Zealand boxer David Light suffered a mild stroke and required surgery to remove a blood clot following his defeat in defense of his WBO light heavyweight title in March, his trainer announced on Wednesday .

On March 25, Light had suffered the first defeat of his professional career at the age of 31, beaten on points unanimously by the judges by Briton Lawrence Okolie, in Manchester.

His return flight went well, but he began to feel unwell in the following days, said his coach Isaac Peach. On April 17, he was admitted to hospital and surgeons removed a blood clot.

He is currently still in hospital, and his trainer did not want to comment on a possible continuation of his boxing career. “He’s the one who can answer that question, not me,” he told reporters.

In a statement released by his promoter, Light said of his recovery, “It’s like a new training camp for me, I have to train hard, recover and work to get better.”