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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Sara Odeen-Isbister

Boxer in his 50s 'with a heart of gold' dies after suddenly collapsing in charity match

Tributes have been paid to a boxer in his 50s after he suddenly collapsed and died while taking part in a charity match.

Jules Bevis was at the World Association of Wrestling (WAW) Academy and Performance Centre in Norwich when he became unwell at roughly 3.50pm yesterday.

His niece, wrestler Saraya-Jade "Paige" Bevis, said he was in the boxing ring at the time and passed away in her brother's arms.

Despite the efforts of emergency services, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are now investigating the death, which they are calling "unexplained".

Mr Bevis was one of 30 boxers helping to raise money for a four-year-old girl called Kayla Buttle, who is battling neuroblastoma cancer.

Jules Bevis's niece, wrestler Saraya-Jade Bevis, paid tribute to her uncle on Twitter (Katie Jones/Variety/REX/Shutterstock)

He worked as a lorry driver and a chauffeur, the BBC reports, and had apparently come out of retirement for the match.

Tributes have been paid on social media.

Saraya, who formerly wrestled for the WWE under the name Paige, wrote on Twitter: "Up until the end he had a heart of gold.

"He was doing a charity boxing match at my dads wrestling PC raising money for a little girl for her cancer treatments."

Jules was at the World Association of Wrestling (WAW) Academy and Performance Centre in Norwich when he became unwell (Google)

She said he collapsed in the ring and died "in her brother Roy's arms".

Celebration Cars and Events, based in Norwich, said: "If you ever had the pleasure of Jules as your driver, you'll know what a kind gentleman he was.

"Jules, you gave the best hugs and will be missed by everyone, it won't be the same without you here."

Two days before the boxing match, freight distribution company The Pallet Network wrote on Twitter: "Bacton Transport driver, Jules Bevis is coming out of boxing retirement at the age of 56, for a charity event in Norwich on Sunday 2nd October."

Police are investigating the death which they are currently treating as 'unexplained' (file photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

In a statement, Norfolk Constabulary said: "Police are investigating the death of a man following an incident at a charity boxing match in Norwich.

"Officers were called to the match in Diamond Road, Norwich at 3.47pm [on October 2] to reports of a sudden death after man in his 50s had become unwell during the event.

"Emergency services including ambulance and police were in attendance but despite medical treatment, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene."

The area was cordoned off and the death is being treated as "unexplained", added the force.

Anyone who witnessed the incident and hasn't spoken to officers is urged to call Norfolk Police on 101 quoting incident number 288 of October 2.

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