Nick Casal, a junior welterweight boxing contender who lives in Niagara Falls, got a call from his girlfriend at around 5 am Saturday. She asked him to pick her up, but he didn’t recognize the address. It turns out she was at the home of her ex-boyfriend. Casal, who was slated to fight on ESPN2 next month, arrived at the address and was ambushed by the ex-boyfriend, who was wielding (allegedly) a golf club. Casal caught a vicious beating, as you can see from this photo. (If you’d like to see two other photos, go here; warning: they’re equally ghastly.)

He apparently waited for Casal in the garage, brandishing some type of metal implement, and then went on a sneak attack, according to Ray Casal.

He said his 145-pound son was struck by the assailant 15 or more times in the head and body.

For a few hours, doctors sutured numerous deep cuts to the side and back of Casal’s head. By the time doctors were finished, the young boxer’s wounds were closed by more than 300 staples and stitches.

Amazingly, Casal’s father told the Buffalo News his son suffered no brain damage. Police have yet to make any arrests. [Buffalo News]