A United States born Junior Middleweight boxer, Patrick Day, has died after suffering multiple injuries to his brain following the devastating knockout loss to Charles Conwell on Saturday night in Chicago.
Conwell knocked out Day in the 10th round of their welterweight bout on Saturday and Day was immediately rushed to North Western memorial hospital in Chicago after the refree noticed he was unconscious.
Hehad been in a coma since Saturday and passed out on Wednesday night. His promoter, Lou DiBella confirmed the news to pressmen.
‘On behalf of Patrick’s family, team, and those closest to him, we are grateful for the prayers, expressions of support and outpouring of love for Pat that have been so obvious since his injury,’ DiBella said in a statement.
‘Patrick Day didn’t need to box. He came from a good family, he was smart, educated, had good values and had other avenues available to him to earn a living. He chose to box, knowing the inherent risks that every fighter faces when he or she walks into a boxing ring. Boxing is what Pat loved to do’
‘It becomes very difficult to explain away or justify the dangers of boxing at a time like this. This is not a time where edicts or pronouncements are appropriate, or the answers are readily available. ‘It is, however, a time for a call to action.”
“While we don’t have the answers, we certainly know many of the questions, have the means to answer them, and have the opportunity to respond responsibly and accordingly and make boxing safer for all who participate. ‘This is a way we can honour the legacy of Pat Day.’
In the meantime, the winner of the contest and one whose punches led to Day’s ultimate death, Conwell revealed on a ‘get well’ post on Sunday on twitter that he has considered retiring since the ugly incident, wishing him safe recovery nut unfortunately Day night on Wednesday.
Eddie Hearn, also tweeted: ‘Devastated to hear the news of the passing of Patrick Day. I met him for the first time last Thursday, what a charming young man with a dream and a smile that lit up the room. Our deepest prayers are with his family, his trainer Joe Higgins, Charles Conwell, and promoter Lou DiBella.’
