Coroner reveals cause of death for amateur MMA fighter Donshay White
Donshay White
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office has revealed the cause of death for amateur MMA fighter Donshay White, Louisville’s WDRB has reported.
White’s death was ruled as “hypertensive / athrosclerotic cardiovascular disease” — a form of heart disease classified as natural causes, according to WDRB.
White, who lost his second MMA bout against Ricky Muse at Hardrock MMA 90 in July before collapsing backstage and eventually passing away, reportedly had high blood pressure and was being treated for the condition. Despite this, he passed two physicals before the fight, including one just hours before the event.
The 37 year old won his first bout in 2015, but didn’t compete in more than a year and a half, and reportedly hadn’t trained much for the bout, according to his trainer, Billy Smith.
The death of White has caused the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Commission to re-evaluate all of its policies. The commission re-wrote its by-laws last year and this was the first MMA-related death in the state, and just the fifth overall in the U.S.
White’s death has been a topic in Derby City over the past week after a lengthy article was posted by the Louisville Eccentric Observer on Wednesday. LEO interviewed longtime referee Gary Copeland, who officiated the bout, as well as Muse, and White’s girlfriend.
Hardrock MMA hasn’t commented on the death, while the KBWC released a statement the day following the death.
