Boxer’s death sparks debate about sport
A Scottish fighter died Thursday following a serious injury he suffered in a fight and the incident has sparked a debate.
Brain injury charity Headway is now calling for boxing to be banned.
“The 25-year-old had to be carried from the ring on a stretcher after a fifth-round loss to Dale Evans in a St Andrews Sporting Club fight in Glasgow on Thursday night. Towell, from Dundee, was then rushed to the city’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital by ambulance accompanied by his promoter, Tommy Gilmour,” an article by Daily Mail reads. “The death was later confirmed by Towell’s management, and comes less than seven months after Chris Eubank and Nick Blackwell’s bout, which ended the latter’s career after he suffered a bleed on the skull when he was stopped in 10 rounds.”
Peter McCabe, chief executive of Headway, said in a statement that the organization is deeply saddened to hear of this tragic loss of life.
“This was a young father in the prime of his life and our heartfelt thoughts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time. Quite rightly, the focus at this time should be on supporting the family. But the question remains: how many more lives have to be damaged or lost before this senseless sport is banned,” McCabe says in the article. “Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. It is another in a long line of boxing tragedies where lives have been lost or irreparably damaged as a result of brain injury.”
Towell passed away peacefully shortly after 11 p.m. on Friday evening, 12 hours after he was taken off life support.
His partner said in an emotional Facebook post that it had been the longest 24 hours of their lives.
“I’m absolutely heartbroken to say my annoying best friend passed away tonight at 11.02 very peacefully. Michael had severe bleeding and swelling to his brain. He had been complaining of headaches for the last few weeks but we put it down to migraines with the stress of his fight. It has been the longest 24 hours of our lives. My baby has lost his daddy. But he will be so, so proud of his dad in what he achieved,” she said in the Facebook post.
Members of the boxing community have also paid tribute to Towell across social media platforms.
“Evans has yet to comment on his opponent’s death, but described Towell as a ‘true warrior’ in a statement issued after he was taken to hospital,” the article reads. “The event at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow, was being broadcast on STV Glasgow when Towell was fatally injured.
The boxer had been undefeated going into the bout – which was an eliminator for the British welterweight title – with 11 previous wins and one draw on his professional record.”
