Tributes have been paid to the first professional boxer to die in a UK ring for 18 years.

Michael Norgrove, 31, of Woodford Green, passed away on Saturday, nine days after collapsing during his sixth professional fight against Tom Bowen at The Ring in Blackfriars on March 28.

He developed a bleed on the brain, but medical staff at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel were unable to save him.

Mr Norgrove’s promoter, Steve Goodwin, said he was proud to have known the boxer.

He said: “He was always a kind and warm human being, a very talented boxer and it is a very sad loss to everyone who ever met him.”

Stars from the world of boxing took to Twitter to pay tribute to the light-middleweight boxer.

Close friend and boxer Monica Harris, has said she is quitting the sport after her last fight on Friday.

She tweeted: “My fight on Friday is dedicated to Michael Norgrove and that will be the last Boxing match I do. Rest In Peace angel xxx.”

Mr Norgrove’s sparring partner James De Gale, who won a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics, tweeted: “So sad to hear about the passing of Michael Norgrove. He will be Sadly missed RIP x”

While former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan tweeted: "Very sad to hear of Michael Norgrove's passing RIP. My deepest sympathies to his family.”

The last boxer to die in the UK was Scottish bantamweight James Murray in Glasgow in 1995.

Mr Norgrove, who was born in Zambia, turned professional three years ago and was winning the fight against Mr Bowen, knocking him down in the first round.

But the match was called off in the fifth round by referee Jeff Hinds, after he became concerned by the boxer’s behaviour.

The sport has received some criticism since Mr Norgrove’s death, but British Boxing Board of Control general secretary Robert Smith has said his death did not occur because of any procedural failings.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live he said: "We are one of the strictest authorities in the world.

""He was a fit young man but we can't guarantee an acute injury can't happen - no doctor in the world can guarantee an acute injury can't happen.

"We all know the dangers that boxing has, every boxer that participates knows the dangers.

"As a governing body we put in place all the medical provisions we possibly can, but of course these things still happen."

"Procedure-wise, everything worked extremely well but this is the nature of the sport we're in.

"Michael did this because he wanted to do it - every boxer that steps into a ring does it because they love it."