Renewed calls to ban boxing after Mike Towell’s death

The Scottish boxer's death comes less than seven months after Nick Blackwell suffered bleeding in his skull after a fight

There have been renewed calls for boxing to be banned after the death of Scottish fighter Mike Towell.

The 25-year-old was rushed to hospital following his fight against Dale Evans in Glasgow and passed away 24 hours later.

Mr Towell’s death comes less than seven months after Nick Blackwell suffered bleeding in his skull after a fight with Chris Eubank Jr.

Peter McCabe, the chief executive of Headway, a brain injury society, has called for boxing to be banned.

“This was a young father in the prime of his life and quite rightly, the focus at this time should be on supporting the family,” Mr McCabe told The Guardian.

“But the question remains: how many more lives have to be damaged or lost before this senseless sport is banned?

“As long as boxing is allowed to continue, more and more young lives will be damaged or lost as a result of opponents deliberately trying to cause neurological harm to each other,” he added.

Both the British Medical Association (BMA) and the World Medical Association (WMA) have also called for a ban on boxing.

Dr Otmar Kloiber, the WMA’s secretary general, told the Press Association that repeated strikes to the head make changes to the brain.

“By hitting your head time after time after time, it has been shown there are alterations in the brain. We are more and more aware that this is silently going on and producing damage to the brain.”

* An appeal to raise money for Mike Towell’s family has passed its £20,000 target. Former World Champion boxer Ricky Hatton set up the fundraiser for Mr Towell's partner, Chloe Ross, and young son, Rocco. More than 800 supporters have donated.