Roman Simakov. [File photo]

Russian light-heavyweight boxer Roman Simakov has died at the age of 27 after being knocked out and put in a coma during a WBC Asian title fight.

Simakov was defending his WBC Asian Boxing Council light heavyweight belt against compatriot Kovalev in a match held in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on December 5.

Simakov was knocked down in the sixth round but got up and was able to continue before receiving numerous blows to the head in the seventh when he was knocked out.

The bout was then stopped, with Kovalev being awarded a TKO victory and Simakov taken straight to hospital.

The doctors fought for the boxer's life for three days, but he passed away on the night of December 8 without regaining consciousness.

"The patient was delivered to our emergency room in a coma," the hospital's emergency department stated. "The patient was in such a serious condition that we didn't even have time to do an MRI. An urgent craniotomy was performed, with a large bruise on the right of the skull removed."

Simakov, who began his career in 2008, won 19 of his 22 fights, with nine victories inside the distance.

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