American boxer Patrick Day died on Wednesday, four days after he was knocked out during his match against Charles Conwell.
Day, 27, had undergone emergency surgery after being knocked out by Conwell on Saturday at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena.
His promoter, Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment confirmed Day’s death on Wednesday.
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“He was surrounded by his family, close friends and members of his boxing team, including his mentor, friend and trainer Joe Higgins,” DiBella said in a statement. “On behalf of Patrick’s family, team, and those closest to him, we are grateful for the prayers, expressions of support and outpouring of love for Pat that have been so obvious since his injury.”
DeBella further said that Day chose boxing as a career out of his interest and it was part of him.
“He chose to box, knowing the inherent risks that every fighter faces when he or she walks into a boxing ring,” he said. “Boxing is what Pat loved to do. It’s how he inspired people and it was something that made him feel alive.”
Dibella said it is “very difficult to explain away or justify the dangers of boxing at a time like this.”
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“While we don’t have the answers, we certainly know many of the questions, have the means to answer them, and have the opportunity to respond responsibly and accordingly and make boxing safer for all who participate,” DiBella Entertainment said. “This is a way we can honor the legacy of Pat Day.”
In a
Twitter post addressed to Day on Tuesday, Conwell wrote he “never meant this to happen to you.”
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“All I wanted to do was win. If I could take it all back, I would,” Conwell wrote. “No one deserves this to happen to them. I replay the fight over and over in my head thinking what if this never happened and why did it happen to you.”
