Boxer Cooney dies after title fight defeat

Galway boxer Cooney underwent surgery on an intracranial haemorrhage following his defeat in Belfast on Saturday night

Super-featherweight boxer John Cooney, 28, has died after his defeat by Welshman Nathan Howells in Belfast last Saturday.

The Irish boxer suffered an intracranial haemorrhage and had surgery to relieve pressure on his brain following the bout at the Ulster Hall.

Galway man Cooney was assessed by the medical team in the ring before being stretchered 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 said on behalf of the Cooney family.

"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 partner and it will take us all a lifetime to forget how special 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.

'Ambitious, determined and driven'

Speaking to Stephen Nolan on BBC 5Live, promoter and former world champion Barry McGuigan said it was "terrifying that this could happen to a 28-year-old kid who looked in the prime of his life".

"It's just hard to believe it."

Mr McGuigan described Cooney as "just a lovely, sweet kid. Ambitious, determined and driven".

"To have his life snapped away like that is just tragic," he added

Many others have been paying tributes to Cooney on social media.

Former double WBO European champion Conrad Cummings said on X: "John Cooney the warrior gave up his fight & passed away this evening. I am deeply saddened, I can't begin to think of the hurt his poor fiancée & family are going through. I pray they find the strength."

Olympic medallist Michael Conlan said it's a "very sad day for the Irish boxing community, my thoughts and prayers go out to John's family and friends'.