‘We’ve had two and a half years of nightmares’: Melbourne man, 18, dies after boxing head knocks

The death of an 18-year-old Pearcedale man who was punched in the head while boxing will be examined by the coroner’s office after it was revealed he had attended doctors and even an emergency department complaining of pain and vomiting for more than a week.

A directions hearing into the death of George Diamond heard the apprentice builder was new to the sport of boxing when he joined Sting Gym in Melbourne’s outer east in July 2018 to improve his fitness.

George Diamond died in February 2019 after multiple blows to the head during recreational boxing. 

Four months later he died in hospital following a bleed to the brain after numerous visits to medical professionals seeking help.

His father, Vic Diamond, said the devastated family hoped an inquest later this year would shed light on what occurred in the months and days leading up to his son’s death.

“We’ve had two and a half years of nightmares,” he said.

“George was so close to his family. He talked his friends out of suicide and when my mother-in-law passed he went to sleep with grandpa so he wasn’t alone at night.

“He was a pure gentleman.”

Counsel assisting the coroner Stewart Pinkstone said that on or about October 25, 2018, George Diamond was sparring at the Cranbourne West gym when he was hit in the groin and, while doubled-over, was struck in the head.

The next day he attended a doctor’s appointment with his father where he presented with head trauma, vomiting and mild swelling to the temple.

George Diamond as a 16 year old. He died in 2019.

Mr Pinkstone said he returned to the doctor five days later to report he was still unwell and was told to return for a review five days later.

On November 5 – 10 days after his head knock – Mr Diamond attended Frankston Hospital complaining of vomiting, headaches and dizziness. But following “long discussion” between specialist emergency doctors, the coroner heard Mr Diamond was released without a brain scan.

“Ultimately he did not undergo any further radiological scans or tests,” Mr Pinkstone said.

Mr Diamond returned to training at Sting Gym in late January 2019 with a clearance form signed by a GP and in early February took part in a “light contact” boxing tournament.

Notes from his gym on February 6 show Mr Diamond was feeling unwell after a run.

“On February 18 he went to work and then the Sting Gym to partake in a pre-planned five-kilometre run. CCTV [later] shows him commence skipping in a ring at Sting Gym,” Mr Pinkstone said.

But at 6.52pm, CCTV footage showed the 18-year-old walk into an outside car park where he collapsed before stumbling back inside. Soon after he was taken to The Alfred via ambulance.

“Emergency surgery to remove pressure on the brain ... was unsuccessful.”

He died on February 21.

Mr Pinkstone said the cause of death was later found to be complications of acute chronic subdural haemorrhage in a setting of martial arts activity. He said a post-mortem found evidence of old and new subdural haemorrhage.

An inquest into Mr Diamond’s death is expected to examine concussion injuries and what treatment he was given.

Slater and Gordon associate Isabelle McCombe said the young man’s family hope an inquest will shed light on the tragic circumstances of his death.

The matter will return to the Coroners Court of Victoria in November.

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