Dad tells of kickboxing ring horror as son, 15, collapsed

THE dad of a young kickboxer who died after a match has described the harrowing moment he rushed to catch his son as he collapsed in the middle of the ring.

- By WESLEY HOLMES

Alex Eastwood, 15, from Fazakerley, suffered a head injury while competing in an unsanctioned bout.

The Archbishop Beck Catholic College pupil had fought three individual rounds at the TKMA gym in Platt Bridge, Wigan, before collapsing on June 29 last year.

He was taken to Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan, where he was placed in an induced coma.

He was transferred to Manchester Children’s Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for a brain bleed. His condition deteriorated and he died on July 2.

At his inquest at Bolton coroner’s court yesterday, his dad Stephen Eastwood said: “I'd just like people to remember him as the wonderful, beautiful soul that he was.

“He was a lovely boy. He was a beautiful, beautiful soul and I want everybody to know that.”

Stephen said they arrived at the venue at around 6pm on Saturday, June 29. Alex warmed up and put on his safety gear, and the court heard all participants were given a run-down of the rules.

The 15-year-old, who was due to compete in the kickboxing World Championships in Portugal last October, and his opponent were said to be the highest level fighters at the fundraiser, so their match had been saved until the very end.

Stephen said: “If I remember clearly his head guard came loose a few times in the second round.

“Usually on a mat he would call time. I did shout him a few times because it had come lose in that round.”

The match was briefly paused to allow Alex to fix his headguard.

But as the match entered its final round, Stephen said his son began to slow down and was not performing to his usual high standard.

He said: “At the end of the fight he was holding onto one of the ropes, head down. We knew he had lost the fight. He turned to face the corner of the ring. The opponent came up to shake Alex's hand.