TROWBRIDGE'S former British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell is in a "stable condition'' in hospital after reportedly falling ill after a sparring session earlier this week.

The 26 year old was forced to retire from boxing earlier this year following his bruising British title fight defeat to Chris Eubank Jr in London, after which he was placed into an induced coma for more than a week after suffering bleeding on the brain.

However, the Wiltshire man has undergone a "procedure'' in hospital after complaining of feeling ill following a sparring session.

Blackwell had recently opened up a new phase of his career and had earned his trainer's licence as well as assisting in the corner of his brother Dan, who has continued to box as a journeyman and helping out at the Cardiff gym of his trainer Gary Lockett.

BBBofC general secretary Robert Smith confirmed on Saturday evening that Blackwell was in hospital. He added: "When we are in a position to say something more, we will let you know."

In quotes to Telegraph Sport, Smith said of Blackwell: "We are investigating this matter and it will be fully looked into, but it is very early days.

"We understand that Blackwell was sparring sometime this week and he has undergone a procedure. We don't know exactly what the procedure was yet.

"We have spoken to a number of people about this and we will be putting the full facts together."

Smith added: "What we understand is that Nick Blackwell sparred, he was taken ill and taken to hospital where he is in a stable condition.

"He no longer has a boxer's licence, but he does have a trainer's licence, which is a completely different thing. He should not have been boxing.

"I'm sickened by it. It's a very tough sport and the doctors here did a wonderful job to save his life. The doctors at hospital saved his life and kept him going.

"He made remarkable recovery and for somebody to go and do what he's done, for what I thought was a very sensible young man, is just beyond belief."

Blackwell has previously admitted his difficulty to adjusting to his enforced retirement, saying in an interview with iFL TV earlier this week: "It has been hard, real hard. All of a sudden it's hit me that I can't fight again.

"Taking the lads, like my brother Dan, doing his corner and training him, and helping Gary, I'm still involved in a big way.

"But watching the lads fight, it makes me want to fight even more. It doesn't actually help me, it makes things worse.

"Now I can't do it, it's horrible. If I had a million quid I'd pay that to fight again and be back to how I was — that's how bad it is.

"I probably could fight again if I wanted to. I'd have to go for a medical and stuff, but I spoke to Gary and said 'if I was fine to fight again would you train me?' and he said 'no'.

"I wouldn't have anyone else in my corner, so if Gary wouldn't train me I wouldn't come back."

Blackwell won the vacant British title by stopping the promising John Ryder in 2015, and twice successfully defended it before defeat by Eubank Jnr.

In announcing his decision to quit fighting, Blackwell wrote on Twitter: ''No, that's me done. I can't put my friends and family and self through that again but I'll still be involved (in the sport).''