My baby has lost his daddy, I’ll never let him fight
HEARTBREAK OF TRAGIC BOXER’S PARTNER
The heartbroken partner of tragic boxer Mike Towell yesterday revealed he complained of persistent headaches in the weeks leading up to the fight that killed him.
Devastated Chloe Ross said the 25-year-old was suffering from migraines but thought the pain was being caused by stress as he prepared to take on Dale Evans.
Mike suffered severe bleeding on his brain following the fight in Glasgow on Thursday night.
The Dundee-born fighter was taken off a lifesupport machine and died almost 24 hours after he was stretchered from the ring at the St Andrew’s Sporting Club event held in the city’s Radisson Blu hotel.
The couple had been together for almost 10 years and had a two-year-old son Rocco.
Chloe yesterday vowed to ban the youngster from following his dad into the sport he loved.
She said that her partner had fought right to the end.
Chloe added: “Once he was taken off his life support, he managed 12 hours, 12 whole rounds off his life support. He fought right to the end and he’s done us all so proud. “He left doing the thing he’s best at. “I’m so glad I got to spend eight-and-a-half years with the absolute plonker and still have the best thing that ever happened to us. ” There’s only one Iron Mike Towell.” The 23-year- old gave an interview to the Sunday Mail just weeks before the fight in which she said she’d only just got over a fear of watching her man in the ring. She said: “I enjoy watching Mike fight.
“That wasn’t always the case as I used to get really nervous but I enjoy watching him now. It’s always a really good night.
“It would be worse if I’d seen him getting hurt but I’ve not seen that yet.”
But her worst fears were realised when Towell was knocked down in the fifth round of the British welterweight eliminator by a left hook, after also hitting the floor in the first following a right hand punch.
She paid her emotional tribute to Towell – nicknamed Iron Mike – on Facebook hours after he died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
The mum also revealed he’d been complaining of headaches before the fight.
Chloe wrote: “I’m absolutely heartbroken to say my annoying best friend passed away, very peacefully.
“Michael had severe bleeding and swelling to his brain.
“He had been complaining of headaches for the last few weeks but we put it down to migraines with the stress of his fight. “It has been the longest 24 hours of our lives.” Chloe added: “My baby has lost his daddy. “But he will be so, so proud of his dad in what he achieved.
“Rocco, a part of him with me forever, but definitely no boxing.” St Andrew’s Sporting Club said they were unaware Towell had been suffering from headaches.
The boxer’s family were at his bedside in his final hours late on Friday and were also joined by his manager,Tommy Gilmour when he passed away shortly after 11pm.
Last night, Police Scotland said they were looking into the death.
A spokesman added: “A post mortem examination will be carried out and a report submitted to the Procurator Fiscal. “Inquiries are continuing.” Gilmour said: “He was Iron Mike to the end. “He kept fighting until the last and we have lost an exciting boxer but, more importantly, a very special man.
“I’m devastated and all my thoughts are with Mike’s mum Tracey, his partner Chloe and their little son Rocco.
“He was one of the greatest characters I have worked with.
“I came away from every phone call or chat we had smiling and shaking my head in bewilderment.
“Mike died doing what he loved best, boxing. He put so much into every part of his life, both inside and outside the ring.”
St Andrew’s Sporting Club owner Iain Wilson paid his own emotional tribute, adding: “He wasn’t just a fighter at our club, he was my friend and a special heart-and-soul guy.
“I was with the family through the night after the fight, they are heartbroken and everyone at
the club shares their grief. We have lost one of our favourite sons and boxing has lost an explosive talent.
“But the biggest loss of all is for the Towell family. We will rally round them now to do all we can.”
Former world champion boxer Ricky Hatton yesterday set up a Just-Giving page to support Towell’s family which had raised £5000 within hours.
Top boxing promoter Eddie Hearn tweeted: “Absolutely devastated by the passing of Mike Towell – all of our thoughts with his friends and family at this time.”
Greg Menzies, head coach at Dundee Boxing Club, said Towell would be sadly missed.
He added: “It’s a small community so everybody’s really shocked.
“He was one of Dundee’s top boxers so he was an inspiration for the young kids.”
Towell ’s opponent Dale Evans described Towell as a “true warrior”.
Injured boxer Nick Blackwell, who retired from the sport in March after suffering a serious head injury against Chris Eubank Jnr, was at the fight.
The 25-year- old survived after a week in a medically induced coma after collapsing at his British middleweight title fight at Wembley.
Man-in-the-middle Victor Loughlin, from Paisley, had been widely condemned for his handling of the ill-fated fight with Chris Eubank’s son. Loughlin was also the referee in Towell’s fight againt Evans.
Blackwell’s dad John yesterday said he’d been affected by Towell’s death. He said: “It’s brought everything back. It’s brought back memories to him, me and the family.”
The tragedy is the second time in 21 years that a Scottish boxer has died after a fight.
Jim Murray, from Newmains, Lanarkshire, collapsed 30 seconds from the end of a British title fight in Glasgow in October 1995.
He unknowingly had a bleed in his brain and fell to the floor of the ring after having a seizure,
The 25-year- old battled in hospital for two days before dying.
Towell was unbeaten in 12 fights and his management team are adamant he had not complained of suffering headaches ahead of Thursday night’s fateful bout.
He had passed all the pre-fight medicals.