Patrick Day dead after Saturday night knockout loss

The unfortunate but not unexpected news came Wednesday evening that New York Jr. Middleweight fighter Patrick Day succumbed to his head injuries suffered Saturday night in a knockout loss to Charles Conwell in suburban Chicago and passed away.

Day had been hospitalized since immediately after the fight and his promoter Lou DiBella released a statement confirming the fighters passing:

It is with the deepest sadness that I share the following statement on Patrick Day. https://t.co/SF1suXCBtB

— Lou DiBella (@loudibella) October 16, 2019

The Statement read in part,

“Patrick Day passed away today, October 16, 2019, succumbing to the traumatic brain injury he suffered in his fight this past Saturday, October 12, at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL. He was surrounded by his family, close friends and members of his boxing team, including his mentor, friend and trainer Joe Higgins.

On behalf of Patrick’s family, team, and those closest to him, we are grateful for the prayers, expressions of support and outpouring of love for Pat that have been so obvious since his injury.” 

As our Marquis Johns wrote about Saturday night, the Conwell-Day fight opened the DAZN streaming service broadcast of Usyk-Witherspoon main event.

Day was fighting professionally for the 21st time against the unbeaten (11-0) Conwell, who had already knocked him down in the 4th and 8th rounds of their bout before landing a brutal left hook in the 10th. That punch leveled Day and he hit his head hard on the canvas afterwards.

Day was tended to immediately by the ringside doctors, and eventually by paramedics. And, then he was stretchered to the ambulance. Day had been in a coma after undergoing brain surgery Saturday night at Northwestern Medical Center.

Day is a 27 year old former New York amateur champion, who had fought 21 times (17-3-1) professionally going into Saturday nights battle Conwell.

Conwell had written an Instagram post on Tuesday, as heart-felt letter to the seriously injured Day. It said in part,

 “I never meant for this to happen to you. All I ever wanted to do was win. If I could take it all back I would. No one deserves for this to happen to them. I replay the fight over and over in my head thinking what if this never happened and why did it happen to you. I can’t stop thinking about it myself. I prayed for you so many times and shedded so many tears because I couldn’t even imagine how my family and friends would feel.

“I see you everywhere I go and all I hear is wonderful things about you. I thought about quitting boxing but I know that’s not what you would want. I know that you were a fighter at heart so I decided not to but to fight and win a world title because that’s what you wanted and that’s what I want so I’ll use you as motivation every day and make sure I always leave it all in the ring every time. #ChampPatrickDay.

With Compassion, Charles Conwell.” 

Obviously, it’s a difficult time for all involved, including not only Day’s family, friends and others, but Conwell and those close to him.

Day’s death comes on the heals of the July ring death of Russian Jr. Welterweight contender Maxim Dadashev, who suffered a massive brain injury in his fight with Subriel Matias televised on ESPN+.