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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Boxer Mike Towell 'stopped sparring because of headaches' | Boxer Mike Towell 'stopped sparring because of headaches' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Scottish boxer Mike Towell stopped a sparring session because of headaches just weeks before the fight which led to his death, it has been claimed. | Scottish boxer Mike Towell stopped a sparring session because of headaches just weeks before the fight which led to his death, it has been claimed. |
| Gym owner and promoter Alex Morrison told the Scottish Sun on Sunday that Towell was advised not to box on because "he wasn't feeling too good". | Gym owner and promoter Alex Morrison told the Scottish Sun on Sunday that Towell was advised not to box on because "he wasn't feeling too good". |
| Mr Morrison said: "He looked okay." | Mr Morrison said: "He looked okay." |
| Towell, 25, was knocked down twice during his bout with Welsh fighter Dale Evans in Glasgow on Thursday and died in hospital on Friday night. | Towell, 25, was knocked down twice during his bout with Welsh fighter Dale Evans in Glasgow on Thursday and died in hospital on Friday night. |
| His partner Chloe Ross had revealed he had been suffering migraines for weeks but had dismissed it as pre-match stress. | His partner Chloe Ross had revealed he had been suffering migraines for weeks but had dismissed it as pre-match stress. |
| Towell's management team have said they were unaware he had been complaining of headaches. | Towell's management team have said they were unaware he had been complaining of headaches. |
| But Mr Morrison told the newspaper the Dundee fighter cut short a training session after speaking to people at his gym. | But Mr Morrison told the newspaper the Dundee fighter cut short a training session after speaking to people at his gym. |
| He said: "He was sparring with a guy called Stewart Burt but he stopped because of the headache. | He said: "He was sparring with a guy called Stewart Burt but he stopped because of the headache. |
| "I never paid any attention as he looked okay. | "I never paid any attention as he looked okay. |
| "When he told the guys he wasn't feeling too good, they advised him not to box." | "When he told the guys he wasn't feeling too good, they advised him not to box." |
| 'Alarm bells' | 'Alarm bells' |
| Towell died after taking part in a welterweight title eliminator against Carmarthen fighter Evans. | Towell died after taking part in a welterweight title eliminator against Carmarthen fighter Evans. |
| Dr Louise Eccles, who is the chief medical officer of the British and Irish Boxing Association, told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast "alarm bells would have been ringing" if Towell had mentioned the headaches during medical checks before the fight. | |
| She said her organisation, which has similar rules to the British Boxing Board of Control which sanctioned the Towell fight, employed "rigorous" medical checks. | She said her organisation, which has similar rules to the British Boxing Board of Control which sanctioned the Towell fight, employed "rigorous" medical checks. |
| Dr Eccles said it insisted on an annual, thorough medical plus an annual MRI head scan, an optician's report and blood tests. | Dr Eccles said it insisted on an annual, thorough medical plus an annual MRI head scan, an optician's report and blood tests. |
| She added: "We have a pre-fight medical and if the doctor is not happy with the boxer's condition, the fight will not go ahead. | She added: "We have a pre-fight medical and if the doctor is not happy with the boxer's condition, the fight will not go ahead. |
| "The question would have been asked, pre-fight, to the gentleman: Have you had headaches recently? That is a standard question in the pre-fight medical. And in the annual medical, headaches are mentioned frequently and tested for neurologically. | "The question would have been asked, pre-fight, to the gentleman: Have you had headaches recently? That is a standard question in the pre-fight medical. And in the annual medical, headaches are mentioned frequently and tested for neurologically. |
| "Boxers tend to be excited and very pumped up before the occasion and also have rigorous training before and event. | "Boxers tend to be excited and very pumped up before the occasion and also have rigorous training before and event. |
| "So, mild headaches are possible, but that would set alarm bells ringing in any doctor's mind. And, if mentioned, further questioning would take place. | "So, mild headaches are possible, but that would set alarm bells ringing in any doctor's mind. And, if mentioned, further questioning would take place. |
| "I don't know if Mr Towell mentioned it to the doctor, but I would like to think that if he'd had a lot of migraine headaches he would have mentioned it, but unfortunately has not." | "I don't know if Mr Towell mentioned it to the doctor, but I would like to think that if he'd had a lot of migraine headaches he would have mentioned it, but unfortunately has not." |
| Tributes have been paid to Dundee fighter Towell - known as "Iron Mike" - who is only the third professional boxer to die in the UK from apparently fight-related injuries in 21 years. | Tributes have been paid to Dundee fighter Towell - known as "Iron Mike" - who is only the third professional boxer to die in the UK from apparently fight-related injuries in 21 years. |
| He had been undefeated going into the fight, with 11 previous wins and one draw on his professional record. | He had been undefeated going into the fight, with 11 previous wins and one draw on his professional record. |
| Towell was knocked down in the first round before recovering to continue the match. | Towell was knocked down in the first round before recovering to continue the match. |
| Referee Victor Loughlin stopped the fight in the fifth round shortly after Towell was knocked down by Evans for a second time. | Referee Victor Loughlin stopped the fight in the fifth round shortly after Towell was knocked down by Evans for a second time. |
| He received treatment in the ring and was given oxygen before being taken to an ambulance on a stretcher. | He received treatment in the ring and was given oxygen before being taken to an ambulance on a stretcher. |
| Professional boxer turned promoter Ricky Hatton set up a JustGiving page which has raised more than £20,000 to support Towell's family. | Professional boxer turned promoter Ricky Hatton set up a JustGiving page which has raised more than £20,000 to support Towell's family. |