Dale Evans has admitted that he is struggling to come to terms with the death of opponent Mike Towell, who died during a fight between the pair last week.

The 25-year-old was seriously injured during the bout and later passed away in hospital, making him just the third professional boxer in the UK to die from fight-related injuries in the past 21 years.

Evans knocked his opponent down in the first round at Glasgow's Radisson Blu Hotel, but the contest continued and was only stopped in the fifth round when Towell went down for a second time.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Evans said: "It has been awful. All I can think of is his two-year-old kid and his girlfriend and family who won't have him around anymore. I feel like I am responsible because we are the ones punching each other - and this is something I have to live with now.

"You don't think about this happening. With the medical team at ringside you feel safe and you never actually dream something like this will happen. It isn't something on your mind."

Evans, now the mandatory challenger for the British title, also revealed that he is considering an early retirement from the sport following the incident.