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Super-featherweight boxer John Cooney, 28, has died after his defeat by Welshman Nathan Howells in Belfast final Saturday.
The Irish boxer suffered an intracranial haemorrhage and had surgical procedure to alleviate strain on his mind following the bout on the Ulster Hall.
Galway man Cooney was assessed by the medical crew within the ring earlier than being stretched out and transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
“It is with complete devastation that we have to announce that after a week of battling for his life John Cooney has sadly passed away,” MHD Promotions mentioned on behalf of the Cooney household.
“Mr and Mrs Cooney and his fiancee Emmaleen would like to thank the staff at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital who have worked tirelessly to save John’s life and for everyone who has sent messages of support and prayers.
“He was a much-loved son, brother and companion and it’ll take us all a lifetime to neglect how particular he was. RIP John ‘The Kid’ Cooney.”
The contest was stopped in the ninth round at the Ulster Hall in what was Cooney’s first defence of his Celtic super-featherweight title.
The Galway boxer won the Celtic title with a first-round win over Liam Gaynor in November 2023 at a sold-out 3Arena in Dublin, on the undercard of Katie Taylor’s revenge win over Chantelle Cameron.
Cooney then spent a year out of the ring recovering from a hand injury before returning to beat Tampela Maharusi of Tanzania in October 2024 in London.
Former double WBO European champion Conrad Cummings paid tribute to Cooney.
He said on X: “John Cooney the warrior gave up his struggle & handed away this night. I’m deeply saddened, I am unable to start to think about the harm his poor fiancee & household are going by means of. I pray they discover the energy.”
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