Teenage amateur boxer who died after collapsing in ring was 'fit as a fiddle'

Tributes have been paid to a "talented" 17-year-old amateur boxer who diedafter collapsing in the ring.

The fighter, named locally as Eddie Bilbey, collapsed as his arm was being held by the referee at the end of a championship bout on Friday night, an eye-witness said.

The teenager, who comes from a boxing family, had just lost out to Tyler Rivers in the East Midlands Welterweight Youth contest at Post Mill Centre, South Normanton, Derbsyhire.

Rivers' coach Craig Perkins said Eddie had come across the canvas to shake hands with his opponent's corner staff and seemed fine, only to collapse onto the ropes moments later.

Mr Perkins, from Earl Shilton Amateur Boxing Club in Leicester, said he hadbeen left shocked and devastated. He said:

Paying tribute to "fit as a fiddle" Eddie, from Ripley, Derbyshire, Mr Perkins said:

The 45-year-old said both fighters had undergone a pre-fight medical and had been wearing all the correct safety gear, including head-guards.

The pair had duelled for three rounds lasting three minutes each, as isregulated by the boxing authorities.Mr Perkins said:

Mr Perkins described how Rivers' mother, who is a nurse, immediately joined efforts to resuscitate the youngster at ringside before paramedics arrived.

From there, he was taken by ambulance to nearby King Mill Hospital inMansfield, Nottinghamshire, where he pronounced dead on arrival.

A police investigation is now underway and a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out to establish cause of death.

Officers have appealed for anyone with footage of the bout to contact theinvestigations team.