Tributes flow in for Dwight Ritchie after tragic training accident

Brendan Bradford
and others
• 5 min read
Dwight Ritchie

Tributes continue to flow in for Australian boxer Dwight Ritchie, who sadly passed away after a freak training accident this weekend. 

Ritchie was preparing for a fight against Tommy Browne in December when he was hit by a body shot while sparring Michael Zerafa. 

Just 27, Ritchie leaves behind three young daughters. 

A GoFundMe page has been set up and has already raised close to $10,000 of the $50,000 target. 

Here's the link for the GoFundMe page to support Ritchie's young family

With a busy end to the year for boxing domestically, fundraising drives will also be promoted during every live event shown in Australia. 

Ritchie was the former Australian middleweight champion, most recently going 10 rounds with Tim Tszyu in Sydney in August. 

He had also shared the ring with Joel Camilleri and Ryan Waters, with a number of former opponents, training partners and insiders sharing touching tributes to social media. 

Ritchie's manager, Mike Altamura shared a moving memory, recounting his journey from a kid from Shepparton in Victoria to an elite level boxer. 

"I met a 15-year-old with a surly disposition 12 years ago at Keith Ellis' gym, and had the box seat to seeing @dwightcowboyritchie evolve into an upstanding, honourable throwback man and a sublimely skilled boxer," Altamura wrote.

"It doesn't feel real yet, and it may never. Than you for enriching our lives, Cowboy. Till we meet again."

Tszyu, who will fight Jack Brubaker in Sydney in December - the card Ritchie was preparing to be on - left a heartfelt message on Instagram. 

"I am truly saddened by the passing of Dwight Ritchie," he wrote.

"Only fighters understand the bond shared between them, especially those who shared the ring together.

"Rest in Peace to a true champion." 

Jeff Horn and Luke Jackson both made their professional debuts on cards the Ritchie was also fighting on. 

"This is so sad. RIP Dwight. I’m sorry for your families loss," Horn wrote on Facebook. 

"I fought my first pro fight on the same card as Dwight Ritchie."

Jackson made his first appearance as a pro in 2013 in Altona when Ritchie was fighting his seventh professional bout. 

"Today we lost one o our own," Jackson wrote on social media. 

"I remember having my professional debut on Dwight's card. 

"Sending my love to his family, loved ones and the whole of boxing in Australia."

Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech called for the Australian boxing community to pull together in the face of such a tragic loss. 

"Just a few words on the loss of a great man Dwight Ritchie," Fenech wrote on Facebook.

"May you RIP and let’s all rally together to make sure his family are looked after I’m sure the Boxing world will come together as one and support his beloved family.

"Rest in Peace."

Fellow Australian boxing legends Danny Green, Anthony Mundine and Billy Dib all left their condolences. 

A host of current Australian boxing talent also left their messages of condolence and support for Ritchie's family. 

 

Author(s)
Brendan Bradford