Condolences are pouring in for a New Brunswick boxer who died from injuries he received inside the ring. David Whittom had been in a medically-induced coma since suffering a brain hemorrhage following a fight in Fredericton last spring.
Whittom is being remembered as an athlete who was passionate about his sport, both in and out of the ring.
Whittom, a native of Saint Quentin, N.B., was once a promising super-middleweight who fought world title contenders.
Saskatoon's Gary Kopas beat Whittom by technical knockout with just 37 seconds left in the 10-round bout in May, 2017.
Whittom left the ring on his own, but later became ill and was rushed to hospital in Fredericton, and then Saint John for surgery. Whittom was put into a medically induced coma.
The New Brunswick Combat Sport Commission said it reviewed the fight, and found no negligence or wrongdoing.
His partner, Jelena Zerdoner, announced his death on Facebook on Friday.
"With a broken heart in a million pieces, I announce to you my friends that my David Whittom has joined the angels and my mother this afternoon," she said in French.
"Thank you for being what you were. Thanks for letting me know you. Thank you for making me understand what love can do. I love you very much my Champion," Zerdoner's post continued.
The boxing community near and far has been showing support to Whittom's family.
"They have solace in saying he was doing what he loved and he'll be respected for that," says Wayne Gordon, a former Olympic boxer and a provincial coach with boxing Nova Scotia.
Gordon says that it takes a special kind of athlete to get into the ring.
"This is a risk that any athlete takes, I mean, boxing gets the perception that it's a little bit violent or there is intent to injure, but it's like other sports, there's hockey and checking, and even non-contact sports like soccer- there are a lot of risks we take, but we take the risk because we're doing something we love," says Gordon.
David Whittom turned 39 years old on March 10.
A memorial for Whittom has been planned for Monday, March 26 in Fredericton.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore.
