Los Angeles (AFP)

The American boxer Patrick Day, who was in critical condition since the violent KO of which he was victim Saturday night, died at 27 years of age following his brain injury, announced the promoter Lou DiBella.

"Patrick Day died on October 16, 2019, as a result of the traumatic brain injury he suffered in his super-welterweight fight against compatriot Charles Conwell," the statement said.

"He was surrounded by family, close friends and team members, including his mentor, friend and coach Joe Higgins, and on behalf of Patrick's family, his team and loved ones, we are grateful for the prayers, support and marks of love addressed to Pat since his injury, "continued Lou DiBella.

It was in the 10th round that Patrick Day underwent his knockout on Saturday night at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago after a terrible left hook from Conwell, his head hitting the rug heavily. Manhandled throughout the fight, he had already wobbled just before on the right of his opponent.

Patrick Day was evacuated unconscious on a stretcher and transported to the Norhtwestern Memorial Hospital in the city, where he then underwent emergency brain surgery. In a coma since then, he was in the intensive care unit of the hospital.

- Third dead boxer this year -

This fight marked his return to a ring after a defeat in June in New York against Carlos Adames, his fourth in 22 fights during his professional career started in 2013.

Day is at least the third professional boxer to die from injuries in a ring this year.

Argentine boxer Hugo Santillan died in July after a fight in San Nicolas, just north of Buenos Aires. His death came just two days after that of Maxim Dadashev of Russia following a brain injury sustained in a fight against Puerto Rican Subriel Matias in Maryland (eastern USA).

In his statement, DiBella indirectly called on the authorities to adopt stricter security standards around a boxing match, without going into details.

"It's very difficult to explain or justify the dangers of boxing in a moment like this ... However, it's time to take action." Although we do not have the answers, we we know the many questions to ask and we have the means to respond responsibly, to make boxing safer for all participants, "he wrote.

© 2019 AFP