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Evans anguish after opponent Towell dies

London - Welsh boxer Dale Evans admits he feels responsible for Mike Towell's shocking death following their welterweight bout.

Towell died in hospital on Friday after being stretchered from the ring in Glasgow the previous day.

The 25-year-old Scot had been beaten by Evans in the fifth round of a British welterweight title eliminator St Andrew's Sporting Club event in Glasgow.

He was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, diagnosed with severe bleeding and swelling to his brain, and died 12 hours after being taken off life support.

"I feel like I am responsible. I can't stop thinking about Mike and his poor family. All my thoughts are with them," Evans told BBC Wales Sport.

"It has been awful. All I can think of is his two-year-old kid and his girlfriend and family who won't have him around any more.

"I feel like I am responsible because we are the ones punching each other - and this is something I have to live with now."

Towell had been unbeaten prior to the fight, with 11 wins and one draw on his professional record.

Chloe Ross, the mother of Towell's son, Rocco, said he had been "complaining of headaches for the last few weeks".

But a spokesperson for St Andrews said nobody in Towell's management team was aware of any headache problems prior to the fight.

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