Scott Westgarth dead: British boxer dies after winning fight

**Master** · 03-01-2018 05:01 AM

Tyan Booth has had his boxing licence suspended following his comments on social media after the death of Scott Westgarth.

Westgarth died in hospital at the age of 31 after falling ill following his victory over fellow Englishman Dec Spelman in Doncaster on Saturday.

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) has suspended 34-year-old Booth with immediate effect.

Booth said on Twitter: "Some people would enjoy it if I got killed in a boxing ring like Scott Westgarth. Man down."

Booth said he was due to fight in two weeks but "has spent the past three months drinking cider and not training properly".

Referencing Gerald McClellan, who was left disabled with a severe brain injury suffered in a defeat by Nigel Benn in 1995, Booth added: "There's a good chance I'll end up in a wheelchair like Gerald McClellan, so tune in."

Booth has been inactive since June 2017, though his BBBofC suspension ends any plans he had to fight.

Booth's trainer Dominic Ingle said on social media: "The inappropriate comments tweeted recently by Tyan Booth will be dealt with by the Ingle Gym and BBBofC. He has been asked to remove them."
uspended for comments about Scott Westgarth

Meanwhile, brain injury charity Headway has called for the sport to be banned.

"There is simply no way to make boxing safe, and to allow more lives to be lost in this way is unacceptable and completely irresponsible," said the organisation's chief executive Peter McCabe.

Robert Smith, general secretary of the BBBofC, said on Monday: "I've spoken to the doctors and officials in charge and am satisfied with the procedures.

"It's a terrible thing that's happened. My condolences to all of his family."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/43217753

**Beanz** · 03-01-2018 05:28 AM

The thoughts expressed by Scott Westgarth's Dad are pretty heartbreaking stuff and there is no hiding from the ugly truth at the heart of boxing. It is dangerous. There is no fight without risk and you will never make it completely safe. It is much better than it was and we have to be thankful that cases like this, particularly in the UK where safeguards are in place, are rare. I agree that more respect for the fighters would not go amiss. All this talk of bums and the slagging off of fighters that fold under pressure, injury or disappoint in some way ringside is bad enough. When you hear what the keyboard warriors say about boxers online it often goes beyond the pale. Every time someone steps through the ropes it is a roll of the dice and I have read so many friends who fight as pros say over the last few days that tragedies like this really stop them in their tracks.

Thoughts have to be with the family at this time and hope they can find some solace in the outpouring of respect for their son, brother, husband etc.

RIP Scot Westgarth

**Beanz** · 03-02-2018 11:55 AM

It's nice to see they gave him the cover of this weeks Boxing News and addressed the subject inside rather than ignore it. I am surprised nobody has mentioned the White Collar stuff which is quite popular now. Each to their own but personally I will not cover it. It pays quite well, even when it is for Charity, but Boxing is not a game to play around at. Fellas stepping thru the ropes after 6 weeks training and an office job are not really doing themselves any favours, and when you factor in the whole disparity in weight and experience, you have to say it's a bit daft. Matchmaking is a proper art and it's hard enough finding the right opponents for Pros with extensive amateur careers and a searchable record, let alone trying to match some unknown quantity against another without any real grounding in Boxing.

One would hope that if there are any lessons to learn after all the reports are in, that the BBBOC make sure they are adhered to, but that will not be the case for the White Collar stuff going on up and down the country.