Raven Chapman thanks trainer and boxing donors during recovery from brain bleed

Raven Chapman has thanked trainer Stuart Scott and the boxing community as she continues recovering from a brain bleed suffered after sparring in Denmark. Speaking to BBC South Today, the 32-year-old said Scott's recognition that she was behaving unusually may have saved her life. She also described returning to training gloves this week, while expressing doubt that she would compete again.

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Chapman was airlifted to hospital and placed in a medically induced coma after the session on 24 July, BBC Sport reported. She was diagnosed with a brain haematoma and cerebral oedema. Chapman recalled feeling well before what was her third sparring session of the week. According to her account, Scott called an ambulance after noticing something was wrong, before she collapsed.

She estimated that she was in surgery less than an hour after the ambulance was called. The BBC reported that the operation stopped the bleeding and helped stabilise the swelling. Chapman said her trainer's familiarity with her behaviour, built over hundreds of sparring rounds and her fights, had helped him recognise that she was not acting normally.

An online appeal subsequently raised £97,792 to support her return to the UK and longer-term recovery. Queensberry, her promoter, was among the leading contributors, alongside Matchroom Boxing's Eddie Hearn and Most Valuable Promotions' Nakisa Bidarian. Chapman said the response had moved her and that she intended to use the donations to obtain the support she needed to get better.

Born in Norwich and training at Warriors Gym in High Wycombe, Chapman won 10 of her 12 professional bouts. She challenged Skye Nicolson for the WBC featherweight title in October 2024 but lost. During an earlier spell based in Bournemouth, she trained alongside former WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith, who was among the fighters to send a video message supporting her recovery.

Chapman said she thought she would probably not receive another boxing licence, rather than announcing a confirmed licensing decision. Even if permitted to return, she said she would be reluctant to put loved ones through a similar ordeal. After initially needing a wheelchair, she described the pleasure of wearing gloves again and being able to enjoy pad and bag work. She also raised the possibility of helping other boxers in future, while saying she still needed time to decide.