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(CNN) - When boxer Patrick Day was in a coma after his Saturday super welterweight fight, his rival, Charles Conwell, wrote him a moving letter in which he said: "I never wanted this to happen to you."
Day, 27, died Wednesday, four days after being knocked out during the Saturday night fight in Chicago, due to a traumatic brain injury, according to a statement from his promoter, Joe DiBella of DiBella Entertainment.
"All I wanted to do was win," Conwell wrote in a social media post he signed with the hashtag #champpatrickday. “If I could push everything back, I would.
“Nobody deserves this to happen to him. I repeat the fight over and over in my head thinking what would happen if this had never happened and why it happened to you. ”
The competition between Conwell and Day was on the billboard of the Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight debut fight, which defeated Chazz Witherspoon.
Day is loaded out of the ring after being knocked out by Conwell.
After suffering the knockout in the tenth round of his super welterweight fight, Day received medical treatment in the ring before leaving a stretcher.
Day was the champion of the New York Daily News Gold Gloves in 2012 and won the WBC Continental Americas super welterweight title and the IBF intercontinental super welterweight title.
Conwell, 21, said this would be the last time he talked about it because it was "a sensitive issue" for Day's family and friends, himself and the sport of boxing.
READ : Two professional boxers die in a matter of days: these are the risks of boxing
“I can't stop thinking about that,” the Olympic boxer continued in 2016. “I prayed for you many times and shed so many tears because I couldn't even imagine how my family and friends would feel.
“I see you wherever you go and all I hear are wonderful things about you. I thought about quitting boxing, but I know that's not what you would want.
Keep him in your prayers !! #prayforpatrickday pic.twitter.com/4euBCe1Yap
- Charles Conwell (@CharlesConwell) October 13, 2019
“I know you were a heart wrestler, so I decided not to do it and fight and win a world title because that is what you wanted and that is what I want, so I will use you as motivation every day and make sure to leave everything in the ring every time. ”
In response to the letter, Day coach Joseph Higgins replied: “I just wanted you to know that we also understand what you should be going through. As devastated as we are, we realize that you are equally devastated. We know that if it were the other way around, we would be equally distressed.
"Thanks for your kind words. Patrick was born on the other side of my street, so our relationship is special. He would have wanted you to continue.
“I am supporting you to achieve your dream, the same one he had. God bless your team and we will also keep you in our prayers. I am also distressed because I feel responsible but I realize that there is no fault. Stay strong and please don't think we blame you. ”
