Irish boxer Cooney dies of head injuries sustained in loss

Irish boxer John Cooney has died aged 28 from injuries sustained in a bout on Feb. 1, his promoter announced on Saturday.

The Irishman had been in intensive care after suffering an intracranial hemorrhage as he lost to Welshman Nathan Howells in a super-featherweight bout in Belfast last Saturday.

The fight was stopped in the ninth round and Cooney was taken to hospital. It was his first defense of the Celtic super-featherweight title.

"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," said a statement issued 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 won the Celtic title with a first-round knockout of Liam Gaynor in Dublin in November 2023 but spent a year out of the ring with a hand injury. 

He returned in October with a victory over Tampela Maharusi. (AFP)