S.A. boxer Diaz battles pneumonia (8/1/08)

San Antonio boxer Oscar Diaz remains in a coma and in critical condition at University Hospital, two weeks after suffering a severe brain injury during a bout at Municipal Auditorium.
But his chief neurosurgeon said Thursday that Diaz is now battling an additional set of problems.
Dr. David Jimenez, who performed the surgery to relieve pressure on Diaz's brain, said the boxer has pneumonia and Wednesday had to be placed on a special ventilator — different from the one he was already on — after he experienced difficulty breathing.
“He had a pretty rough day” on Wednesday, Jimenez said. “We had to work pretty hard on him.”
But the doctor said such medical issues are “not uncommon” for patients who have suffered traumatic brain injuries and have had to be hospitalized for lengthy periods.
He said Diaz was put on antibiotics, in addition to being fitted with the special ventilator, and Thursday “seemed to be responding.”
Doctors had hoped to administer more neurological testing Wednesday, Jimenez said, but the new rash of problems prevented them from doing so.
Jimenez said he's now hoping the brain scans can be done by “this weekend or early next week.”
“Then we should have a better idea as to the extent of the brain damage,” Jimenez said.
Diaz, 25, collapsed in the ring July 16 at the start of the 11th round of his nationally televised bout against Delvin Rodriguez for the vacantUSBA welterweight title.
He was treated by doctors at ringside and rushed by ambulance to University Hospital.