A Russian boxer underwent brain surgery after suffering serious injuries in a fight Friday night, according to multiple reports.

Maxim Dadashev struggled to walk out of the ring after his 11th-round loss to Subriel Matias at MGM National Harbor in suburban Washington. He was taken to a hospital, where doctors had to remove part of his scalp to relieve the swelling in his brain, according to reports from ESPN and Russian state news agency TASS. 

Dadashev's manager, Egis Klimas, told TASS that doctors expect the swelling to recede over the next few days and believe Dadashev can "return to normal life."

A spokesperson for Top Rank, which promoted the fight in conjunction with ESPN, did not immediately reply to an email from USA TODAY Sports on Saturday seeking an update on Dadashev's condition.

Maxim Dadashev, left, shown during a fight in 2018. (Photo: Steve Marcus, Getty Images)

Dadashev, 28, entered Friday night's fight with an undefeated record of 13-0. His trainer, James "Buddy" McGirt, threw in the towel on his behalf before the start of the 12th round.

"One punch, as you know, can change a whole guy's life. And I wasn't going to let that happen," McGirt said in an interview shortly after the fight. "I'd rather them be mad at me for a day or two than to be mad at me for the rest of their life."

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Cameras captured Dadashev becoming increasingly unstable as he tried to exit the ring and walk to the locker room. He was soon loaded onto a stretcher and into an ambulance, according to multiple reports. The Washington Post reported that Dadashev had to be redirected to a closer hospital when he lost consciousness in the ambulance.

"I just hope that Maxim is all right," Dadashev's opponent, Matias, told reporters after the fight. "He is a great fighter and a warrior."

Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.

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