Inquiry finds Mike Towell's decision to ignore doctors advice contributed to his death
The Dundee boxer died shortly after collapsing during a fight in September 2016
Last updated 11th Apr 2019
Dundee boxer Mike Towell who collapsed and died during a fight refused to accept doctor's advice not to box.
Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull who presided over a fatal accident inquiry at Glasgow Sheriff Court into welterweight Mike' s death in the ring said that his opponent Welsh boxer Dale Evans, who delivered the fatal punch, was 'blameless.”
He said that Mike hid the fact he had suffered from fits in 2013 and that the fight should never have taken place.
Mike, 25, collapsed during a British title fight eliminator on September 29, 2016, at St Andrews Sporting Club, Glasgow, and died in hospital the next day from a brain injury.
Sheriff Principal Turnbull said: “Boxing was Mr Towell’s life.
“Regrettably, it appears that Mr Towell’s love of boxing caused him to ignore the advice of doctors and not to accept the medical condition he had been diagnosed as suffering from.
“It is hard not to conclude that the very drive and commitment to boxing which Mr Towell demonstrated in his ascent to a final eliminator contest for the British welterweight championship in only his thirteenth professional fight is what led to his untimely death.
“The fight against Mr Evans should never have taken place. Had Mr Towell been open and honest with the doctors who carried out his annual Boxing Board of Boxing Control medical examinations, it is highly likely that he would not have been licensed to box from at least 2014 onwards.
“Indeed, it is possible, although not certain, that he may never have been licensed to box professionally.
“The inquiry did not hear evidence from Dale Evans, Mr Towell’s opponent. I imagine that the events of 29 September 2016 will haunt Mr Evans for the rest of his life. Whilst I am sure that it will be of little comfort to him, it is important to record that Mr Evans is blameless..”
The sheriff principal ordered the BBBC to put new guidelines in place to try to avoid a similar tragedy in the future
Sheriff Principal Turnbull added: “The fight only took place because Mike Towell deliberately hid his medical condition from the BBBC; and because the BBBC’s systems were reliant upon boxers undergoing medical examinations being honest.”
He recommended that the BBBC should send each each boxer’s GP a copy of the boxer’s latest BBBC medical examination form and seek confirmation that the information is accurate;.
Sheriff Principal Turnbulll also said that the BBBC should give consideration to suspending the licence of any boxer who does not provide the details required within 21 days.
In the weeks prior to the fight Mike complained of headaches and while sparring at a Stirling gym suffered a blow to the head and went to the accident and emergency department at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
His mother Tracey Towell , 53, said: “ He said he was in absolute agony. He had tears in his eyes the pain was that bad.”
She told the inquiry that Mike went ahead with the fight because:: “He just didn’t want to let anybody down.”
His s boxing licence would have been suspended if the BBBC knew he had suffered seizures.
He told BBBC doctors who examined him in 2014, 2015 and 2016 he had not.
In September 2013 Mike, was advised not to box again after suffering seizures.
Mrs Towell told the inquiry she contacted doctors in May 2013 with concerns about her son having fits.