Scottish boxer Mike Towell dies after suffering first loss

Mike Towell, a 25-year-old boxer from Dundee, Scotland, died Friday in a Glasgow hospital after a loss to Dale Evans of Wales on Thursday night.

Towell was 11-0-1 when fighting Evans at the Radisson Blu hotel in a bout promoted by the St. Andrews Sporting Club, which announced Towell’s passing via Twitter.

Evans twice knocked down Towell, nicknamed “Iron Mike,” before the welterweight bout was stopped in the fifth round. Towell was then taken out of the ring by stretcher and transported to a local hospital.

The fight was billed as an elimination bout for the British welterweight championship.

Evans, a 24-year-old from St. Clears who now has a record of 12-3-2, released a statement via the St. Andrews Sporting Club acknowledging his sympathies.

Towell’s partner, Chloe Ross, said she was “absolutely heartbroken” to announce that he died 12 hours after he was taken off life support. 

Ross said that Towell had been complaining of migraines in the run-up to the fight but put it down to stress. 

“I'm absolutely heartbroken to say my annoying best friend passed away at 11.02 very peacefully,” Ross wrote on Facebook. “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.” 

Towell's family was at the boxer's bedside in his final hours. 

“Once he was taken off of 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,” Ross wrote. 

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