London-based boxer Sheriff Lawless has died after he collapsed in the ring during his professional debut on Sunday.
In the opening bout of a four-fight card promoted by Costa kiss E Angelou, 29-year-old Lawal took on Malate Barely in a bout scheduled for six rounds at Harrow Leisure Centre.
In the fourth round, a right hand from Barely landed on the temple of Lawal, who then dropped to the canvas. Referee Lee Every began his count but recognized that Lawal was in distress and immediately halted the bout.
According to a Boxing scene source at ringside, the contest had been evenly fought until the end of the third round when Lawal was stunned by “a right hand over the jab that landed seconds before the bell sounded.
“They both exchanged on the bell and the referee, Lee Every, pulled them apart. Lawal you then came out with a high guard to start the fourth, he looked fine. He took the right hand to the temple and his back was to the ropes, he span round and then fell on his haunches.”
Lawal’s trainer, CJ Hussein, tended to his stricken boxer as the British Boxing Board of Control’s ringside doctors and paramedics administered CPR for “10-15 minutes” before a defibrillator was employed for several minutes in the ring.
Lawal was taken to the nearby Northwick Park hospital where he was pronounced dead with the cause of death a cardiac arrest.
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