Boxers reject call for ban after Qld death
Queensland's boxing community has rallied against calls for the contact sport to be banned in Australia following the death of a young fighter.
Toowoomba boxer Braydon Smith died when his life support was turned off in a Brisbane hospital on Monday, less than two days after he lost a 10-round featherweight bout.
The 23-year-old had collapsed 90 minutes after a WBC Asian Boxing Council continental title fight with Filipino John Moralde on Saturday night.
Australian Medical Association Queensland president Shaun Rudd says boxing should be banned nationally, given it could never been made safe.
"It's particularly sad when somebody dies playing a so-called sport when the whole idea of the sport is to try and knock the opponent out, or at least try and do enough damage to the head as you possibly can," Dr Rudd said.
But John Hogg, the Australian National Boxing Federation's Queensland medical registrar who supervised the fight, said there were two doctors present while other safety measures were in place.
"Accidents can happen in any sport," Mr Hogg told AAP.
"As far as boxing's concerned, the people who normally come out against it are people who have never been to a fight.
"They watch a few Rocky movies or something and think they know what a night at the boxing looks like, which is absolutely nothing like what they imagine."
Smith's friend James O'Shea, who is also acting as his family's spokesman, didn't want to weigh in on the banning debate.
But he stressed Smith was lucid after the fight and nothing his father, renowned trainer Brendon Smith, saw during or after the bout indicated any danger.
"His trainer, his promoter, his manager and most importantly his father was the man that was in that corner," Mr O'Shea said.
"And no-one cares for boxers more than Brendon Smith, let alone it being his own son.
"He has the boxer's safety and welfare far ahead of results."
Smith, a law student who was previously undefeated in his previous 12 fights, lost in a unanimous points decision and later praised and congratulated Moralde before returning to his dressing room.
There has been an outpouring of grief for him, including a tribute from his father posted to the Facebook page for Smithy's Gym, which he runs in Toowoomba.
"Yes my son's heart was big enough to give to the world and he did just that at 3am this morning," he wrote.
"Helping people to the very end. We love you Brayd."
People are also posting photos to social media of boxing gloves hanging outside their homes with the hashtag #hangyourglovesout, reminiscent of the worldwide campaign following the death of cricketer Phillip Hughes.
