Young boxer dies from brain damage
Thre Courier Mail
Greg Stolz
March 17, 2015
Braydon Smith with his opponent John Moralde (left) after the fatal bout.
KIRSTIE Nicholls held an icepack against her boyfriend’s swollen cheekbones while he joked about the fight that would claim his life.
Braydon Smith – Brayd to those who loved him – had a goal to change boxing’s blood sport image.
His grandfather, father and mother had been in the crowd at the featherweight bout against Filipino boxer John Moralde at Toowoomba on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old law student gave an upbeat interview after his loss. Soon after he complained of a severe headache and 90 minutes after the bout he collapsed, never to regain consciousness.
Nicknamed “The Great White” for his fair skin and blond hair, Smith was eulogised as a “champion human being” whose “big goal” was to change boxing’s blood sport image.
John Hogg, the Australian National Boxing Federation’s Queensland medical registrar who was at the bout, said the referee or Smith’s father and trainer, Toowoomba boxing identity Brendon Smith, would have stepped in if there were any concerns.
AIRLIFTED: Queensland boxer Braydon Smith, 23, dies in hospital after Toowoomba bout
Mr Hogg said two doctors were ringside and Smith was checked by one before and after the fight, and had stitches inserted in a minor cut.
Braydon Smith with girlfriend Kirstie Nicholls.
“The doctor obviously had no cause for concern so it’s a mystery as to what’s happened,’’ he said.
Smith was “passed fit” for his annual boxing licence renewal in October.
“He hasn’t taken a lot of punishment in his career so I’m completely baffled as to what could have brought this on,’’ he said.
“Any sport where people are punching each other in the head, there is the possibility of injury. But the last death in Queensland was more than 20 years ago.’’
Family spokesman James O’Shea said Smith was a “champion human being”.
“His big goal in life was to change the perception of boxing because it gets such a bad rap. He never drank, never smoked, never did drugs or got into trouble”.
Ms Nicholls paid tribute last night: “I was a massive fan of Braydon, his No.1 fan,” she said. “I love him ... we were soulmates.”
The Smith family – his father Brendon, mother Kerri and brothers Tanner and Noah, are devastated by their loss.
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