MSP urges fatal accident inquiry into death of boxer
Brian Whittle says it must be determined if Mike Towell had a brain injury before the fight.
An MSP is calling for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) to be held into the death of boxer Mike Towell.
The fighter, known as Iron Mike, died after collapsing during a bout against Dale Evans at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow on Thursday.
Following his death, a crowdfunding page set up by former champion Ricky Hatton has raised more than £30,000 for his family.
Conservative MSP Brian Whittle said an FAI was necessary to establish whether or not Towell had a brain injury before he stepped into the ring.
Mr Whittle, a former 400m runner who competed at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, said the boxer's death would affect the whole sport.
He said: "This is a tragic incident, and as it happened at a place of work, I think it would be right to have a fatal accident inquiry.
"It's important that we find out if there's been steps missed or mistakes made so the sport can be allowed to learn from them and ensure an incident like this doesn't happen in future.
"Boxing is a great sport that does a lot of great work in our communities and to not get to the bottom of this allows the call from those wanting to ban boxing to get louder."
The Crown Office said an investigation into Towell's death is ongoing. An FAI involves a public hearing, presided over by a sheriff, with enquires into the circumstances of a death.
The 25-year-old from Dundee was stretchered from the ring after being stopped by the referee in the fifth round of his bout against Welshman Evans.
He battled on for almost 12 hours after being taken off life support and his family, friends and manager have been left devastated by his death.
His girlfriend Chloe Ross has said he had been complaining of headaches in the run-up to the fight. She said he died from severe bleeding and swelling in his brain.
Earlier, she shared the last picture she had of Towell with their son with STV.
She wrote on Facebook: "Thank you all so, so much for all the kind messages and the fundraising. I'm in shock. Everyone is so kind. And I have loved seeing everyone's pictures of him.
"I can't believe how loved that boy is. He will be so happy all his boxing heroes know who he is, just the wrong circumstances.
"The last picture of Rocco and his daddy which he sent me on Wednesday. So glad Michael has his dad up there with him."
A spokesman for the Crown Office said: "The procurator fiscal has received a report in connection with the death of a 25 year-old man in Glasgow on September 30, 2016.
"The investigation into the death, under the direction of Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU), is ongoing and the family will be kept updated in relation to any significant developments."