Tragic death in celeb boxing
A fighter involved in a corporate boxing event in Hamilton has died after collapsing during a bout.
The fight night held at Te Rapa Racecourse was shut down after Neville Knight fell onto the ropes before collapsing. Ambulance staff spent more than 30 minutes trying to resuscitate him.
Fellow boxer Nick Trott, a former DJ for The Rock and Radio Hauraki, said he was ‘‘numbed’’ after the bout.
‘‘I’d like to send my prayers to Nev’s family. I know them, I trained with Mitch, his fiancee. I weighed in with Nev this morning. We both did our medicals. It’s numbing.’’
Since fighting fellow radio host Grant Kereama in the 2003 Fight for Life, Trott has appeared occasionally on the corporate and celebrity boxing circuit.
Last night’s event, organised by Nabby’s Boxing Gym, included Foodies Fight Night which involved supermarket staff from around Hamilton.
Acting Inspector Andrew Mortimore said a doctor at the venue declared a 49-year-old male dead at the scene.
‘‘Police are speaking to witnesses and family, and will be referring the death to the coroner.’’
A witness said she saw the boxer hit the ropes, then the floor. ‘‘While they were resuscitating him a lady came on the loudspeaker asking us to pray for him, then started crying.
‘‘Then an official came on the loudspeaker asking us all to leave out of respect.’’
Hamilton boxing trainer Rick Ellis described the death as a tragedy.
‘‘I would expect the boxers would have been assessed by the doctors before they got him in the ring and he would have been cleared to box. We don’t yet know the cause of his death – it could have been the boxing, it could have been a heart attack or something else.’’
Boxing NZ chairman Steve Mitchell was dismayed to learn of the death. ‘‘I want to offer my concerns and sympathies to the families of both men involved.’’