Zambian boxer Felix Bwalya has died, nine days after being knocked down three times in the final rounds of a Commonwealth title clash with Britain's Paul Burke.

Bwalya's death, coming only months after the Mike Tyson earbiting incident, brings to an end a bad year for boxing but there are doubts whether the fight contributed directly to his death.

Friends of the boxer told Zambian newspapers Bwalya, who was taking medication for malaria, had gone on a two-day celebratory drinking binge after winning the Commonwealth light welterweight title in controversial fashion on December 14.

He was admitted to a hospital in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, two days later complaining of headaches.

He fell into a coma and died on Tuesday.

Zambia's Minister of Sport, William Harrington, announced the suspension of the Professional Boxing Board of Control and said he had instituted an independent inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding Bwalya's death.

Bwalya, 26, was knocked down three times in the last three rounds and was on the canvas as the final bell sounded.

But he was ahead on points and won the fight despite vociferous complaints by Burke's camp, who claimed the final round was at least two minutes short.

Hilary Matyola, head of the Zambian Boxing Board of Control, has been suspended by Mr Harrington along with the rest of the board.

Mr Matyola said last week the board was discussing whether referee Hugo Mulenga should have stopped the 12-round bout.

Burke's trainer, Manchester-based Billy Graham said last week that Burke, from Preston, Lancashire, would lodge a protest with the Commonwealth Boxing Council in order to claim victory by technical knockout.

The boxing board promoted the fight with government money because none of the local promoters could raise the £30,000 needed to pay the boxers on the bill.
 

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