Mike Towell's management team not aware of headache complaints
Saturday 1 October 2016 15:40, UK
The management team behind Scottish boxer Mike Towell, who died on Friday following a televised bout, has said it was not aware of any headache complaints made by the fighter before the match.
Towell's partner, Chloe Ross, claimed he had been "complaining of headaches for the last few weeks".
The 25-year-old welterweight had to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher after a fifth-round defeat to Dale Evans in a St Andrews Sporting Club fight in Glasgow on Thursday night.
The young father, from Dundee, was rushed to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he was diagnosed with severe bleeding and swelling to his brain.
Ross said she was "absolutely heartbroken" to announce that he had died peacefully shortly after 11pm on Friday evening, 12 hours after he was taken off life support.
In an emotional Facebook post she said it had been "the longest 24 hours" of her life.
She wrote: "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 proud of his dad in what he achieved."
A spokesman for St Andrews said that nobody in Towell's management team was aware of any headache problems leading up to the fight.
The boxer's family were at his bedside in his final hours and were joined by his manager, Tommy Gilmour.
"Once he was taken off his life support he managed 12 hours, 12 whole rounds off his life support, he fought right to the end and he's done us all so proud," said Ross.
"He left doing the thing he's best at... there's only one."
The couple had been together for more than eight years and had a young son, Rocco.
The British Boxing Board of Control, the sport's governing body and licensing authority, is yet to comment.
