Dwight Ritchie dies after freak training accident while sparring Michael Zerafa

Australian boxer Dwight Ritchie has died, following a freak accident during training on Saturday.

The junior middleweight was sparring with Michael Zerafa when he collapsed after taking a massive blow to the body, and was unable to be revived.

Ritchie was just 27 years old.

“It is with great sadness and shock to announce that the fighting cowboy Dwight Ritchie sadly passed away today doing what he loved,” Jake Ellis, Ritchie’s promoter, said in a statement,

“As Dwight’s promoter and friend it’s unbearable to accept the tragic news that’s just surfaced.

“Dwight will always be remembered by the boxing fraternity as one of the brightest talents in Australia who’s fighting style embodied exactly how he lived.

“RIP Cowboy, you’ll be forever missed.”

Ritchie (19-2, 2 KO’s), 27, was coming off a unanimous decision loss to unbeaten Tim Tszyu, the son of International Boxing Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, in August. He was preparing to face Tommy Browne at the time of his death.