Mike Towell death: MSP calls for fatal accident inquiry

A fatal accident inquiry should be held into the death of boxer Mike Towell, an MSP has said.

Mike 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. Picture SNS

Conservative Brian Whittle, a former athlete, said it was important a “proper inquiry” was held to ensure similar incidents do not happen again.

Prosecutors are investigating the circumstances surrounding the Dundee boxer’s death. He died in hospital after being knocked down in a fight in Glasgow.

It has emerged Towell complained of headaches in the run-up to the bout.
Mr Whittle, a former Olympic athlete, told BBC Radio Scotland that the 25-year-old boxer’s death had been a “real tragedy”.

He said banning the sport would be “silly” but it was clear that “something has gone very wrong”.

Mike Towell, pictured during a bout in May 2015, was previously undefeated

“Obviously it’s a high contact sport but there should be safeguards in place to prevent this kind of tragedy,” he said.

“I do think we need to have a proper inquiry about this to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

He added: “In my view, this is a place of work and the young man has died at his work which would then mean you should really have a full fatal accident inquiry into this.

“We need to make sure that the proper expertise is brought in because there are some anecdotal things that are being said around the fact that he wasn’t particularly feeling well before he stepped into the ring.

“He was complaining of headaches etc so, to me, that sounds like there’s something been missed here.

“I think it’s really important that we call for a fatal accident inquiry.”

Meanwhile the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service confirmed it was investigating Towell’s death after receiving a report.

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