Braydon Smith, a 23-year-old Australian boxer, died this week, two days after losing consciousness following a 10-round fight against John Moralde.
Smith collapsed about 90 minutes after the Saturday fight and was taken to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital where he was placed in an
induced coma, The Australian Associated Press reported. He died Monday.
He was alert following the fight and congratulated Moralde on his win before returning to his dressing room, according to the AAP. Nicknamed “The Great White,” Smith was looked up to as a humble and dedicated competitor who wanted to improve the image of boxing.
Smith was undefeated going into Saturday’s fight. In his dressing room afterward, he looked “white as a ghost” and held an ice
pack to his head, Ryan Songalia wrote for The Ring. He then slumped to the floor and his father, Brendon Smith, tried to revive him.
Smith never regained
consciousness, The Toowoomba Chronicle reported.
"I know it's a bit of a cliché at times like these to say he had the world at his feet but, you know, Braydon did have the world at his feet," family friend James O'Shea said, according to the Chronicle.
Smith, who debuted as a professional boxer in 2011, was studying law at the University of Southern Queensland and would have turned 24 in April.
Twitter users shared their condolences.
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