HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?

Horrible atmosphere gathered pace until the unthinkable occurred, writes Matt Bozeat

A MURDER investigation is underway after a 19-year-old was stabbed in the neck outside the venue and later died in hospital. Police described the sickening trouble as “large-scale disorder” that was triggered by fighting between the fans of Luke Paddock and Myron Mills.

There were skirmishes during the ninth round of the fight – Clifton Mitchell in Mills’ corner says a plate of sandwiches was thrown at him and the trouble escalated after the final bell. Rival fans threw chairs and tables at each other and supporters in the balcony pelted those below with missiles.

There was a stampede towards the exit and by the time the Master of Ceremonies announced Mills had won the fight on a split points decision, the venue was virtually empty.

The majority of the crowd had either fled or gone outside to continue fighting. Eyewitnesses said a mass brawl erupted outside the venue and minutes later, rumours spread there had been a stabbing. Medics rushed back into the venue to ask for table cloths, presumably to be used as bandages, and other fans stripped off their shirts.

The area, including surrounding streets, was cordoned off by police as forensics scoured the area.

According to Errol Johnson’s Black Country Promotions, every fan had been searched on their way into the venue.

From early in the evening, the atmosphere had been poisonous, with a section of the crowd, believed to be Paddock supporters, chanting inflammatory songs usually associated with England football hooligans.

The subsequent trouble meant that Black Country Promotions had to cancel their show that was scheduled for the same venue the following day, set to feature the launch of the Midlands Boxing Super Series that would decide the next Midlands Area super-featherweight champion.