28yrs old boxer dies after suffering brain injury during fight

Irish boxer John Cooney has tragically passed away at the age of 28 due to injuries he suffered during a championship bout on February 1, his promoter confirmed on Saturday.

Cooney had been in intensive care after sustaining an intracranial hemorrhage during his super-featherweight title defense against Welsh fighter Nathan Howells in Belfast. The bout was halted in the ninth round, and Cooney was immediately rushed to the hospital.

“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,” read a statement released by promoter Mark Dunlop on behalf of the Cooney family. “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.”

Cooney had claimed the Celtic super-featherweight title with an impressive first-round knockout of Liam Gaynor in Dublin in November 2023. However, he spent the following year sidelined due to a hand injury before making his return to the ring in October with a win over Tampela Maharusi.

His untimely passing has sent shockwaves through the boxing community, leaving fans and fellow athletes mourning the loss of a rising star.