Dale Evans says boxing authorities must do more to safeguard fighters
Tuesday 6 March 2018 22:13, UK
Recently-retired welterweight boxer Dale Evans has called for better protection for fighters stepping into the ring.
Evans announced his retirement in an open letter to fans on Twitter a fortnight ago, saying his hunger for boxing had been overtaken by "worry and fear".
The 26-year-old Welshman was involved in a bout with Mike Towell 18 months ago. Towell died in hospital a day after losing to Evans in Glasgow having suffered severe bleeding and swelling to his brain.
Evans admitted the death of British boxer Scott Westgarth at the end of last month brought back memories of his bout with Towell, adding boxing authorities should do more to safeguard fighters.
"You have an annual brain scan but you do rounds and rounds of sparring throughout the year in training in preparation for fights," Evans told Sky Sports News.
"There is no pre-fight scan or anything like that, so any damage that is done before the fight you can't see, so I don't see why they can't bring in a pre-fight scan free of charge.
"You pay for an MRI [scan] at the beginning of the year. All the fees don't come cheap but I don't see why they can't introduce some kind of pre-fight scan.
"A boxer can be visually sound but in there (points to his head) you can't see what's going on. Like I say, I think every fighter should be entitled to a pre-fight scan before they go in.
"And if they're not sound then they don't fight - you're saving a life by doing that."
