FORMER IBF lightweight champion Robert Easter Jr has been SHOT three times by armed robbers.
The American, 31, is currently undergoing surgery at a Cincinnati hospital.
The incident occurred in the boxing star’s hometown of Toledo, Ohio.
He was allegedly shot three times while fending off a group of men who had approached him demanding money.
Easter Jr is reportedly expected to survive and fully recover from the multiple gunshot wounds.
Easter’s father and co-trainer, Robert Sr, confirmed the news to the WTOL 11 network.
Then the fighter himself tweeted: “I’m in so much pain.”
He last fought a year ago when he claimed a ten-round unanimous decision win over Ryan Martin.
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Easter Jr (23-1-1, 14KOs) was in training for his return to the ring before the summer.
No date had yet been set, however those plans will now be on hold while he recovers from the op to have bullet shell fragments removed from his body.
His win over Martin stretched his unbeaten run to three since he lost the IBF tittle.
That crushing setback occurred courtesy of the then-unbeaten Mikey Garcia back in July 2018.
The loss ended a near two-year title reign that began with a split decision victory over Richard Commey in 2016.
