There’s still some time before James DeGale and Matt Floyd headline at the AO Arena in Manchester, but BKFC 81 has already delivered fireworks. Andy Thornton wasted no time making his mark, flooring Matty Hill with a thunderous straight left almost immediately. Hill bravely beat the count but was visibly shaken. What happened next was obvious!

With just 30 seconds left in the opening round, Thornton sealed the deal with a crushing left hook that ended the fight decisively. But Thornton’s victory carried a deeper meaning. He used his moment under the bright lights to honor the memory of 17-year-old Liam Bracken from Astley Bridge, Bolton, who tragically lost his life recently.

What did Andy Thornton do?

The 38-year-old, a native of Bolton, England, himself wore a T-shirt in a show of tribute to Liam during the fight. Notably, the accident occurred at 8:39 pm on September 22, when Liam’s blue Vauxhall Corsa veered off the unlit road, near Long Hey Lane, and crashed into a ditch. His four teenage passengers were hospitalized but later discharged. Besides Thornton’s tribute, a stone memorial was erected for Liam Bracken, described as “compassionate.”

Family and friends adorned the memorial with flowers, one tribute reading, “Liam. Forever 17.” The site, where a vigil was held, has seen multiple crashes this year, prompting calls for road safety improvements. Liam was set to begin an engineering apprenticeship at Sherwin-Williams in Bolton. Regardless, Bracken’s family has also released a statement after their beloved son’s passing earlier this month.

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Liam Bracken will be missed and loved

Liam’s family expressed grief in a statement released by police after their son’s passing. “Liam was a kind, caring, sensitive, and compassionate young man. He was loved and adored by all who met him,” the statement read. “He was extremely family-oriented – coming from a huge, loving, close-knit family. Liam loved nothing more than nights with his family and also his friends.”

“Liam loved high school and passed his GCSEs with flying colours–he was so clever,” the statement continued. “He had gotten himself an engineering apprenticeship at Sherwin-Williams and was so driven. He was always striving to better himself and reach for the top. Liam was extremely into his health and fitness, always looking after himself in the gym with his mum and dad at 6.30 am every morning before work.”

“We are so proud of raising a son who showed how to be respectful and had a fantastic moral compass. This is such a tremendous loss to his loving family. Liam will be missed and loved by all who knew him. RIP son.”

Having said that, it appears Andy Thornton used the attention his fight is getting to pay tribute to the 17-year-old boy from his hometown. What do you make of this sweet gesture?