Boxing-Australian fighter's death prompts calls for ban

MELBOURNE, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Australia's peak medical authority has called for a ban on boxing after a local fighter died in hospital on Tuesday, four days after being knocked out in a regional title bout. David Browne Jr was floored by a punch from Filipino Carlo Magali in a super featherweight bout in Sydney on Friday. The 28-year-old father of two initially regained consciousness but later collapsed and was rushed to hospital in critical condition. Browne remained in a coma until his family made the decision to turn off his life support on Tuesday, state media reported. Browne is the second Australian boxer to die in six months. Braydon Smith, a 23-year-old law student, died in March from injuries sustained in a continental featherweight title bout defeat to Filipino John Moralde in Queensland. Australian Medical Association (AMA) Vice President Stephen Parnis said people needed to "think twice" about participating in the sport. "I know they don't intend for this to happen but... the way that boxing is designed, there will be these times inevitably where someone will get bleeding or irreversible damage to the brain and they will either lose their life or end up with brain damage," Parnis told state broadcaster ABC. "That is why the AMA thinks that we cannot continue with it." The state regulator of combat sports had been asked to review the event, ABC said. Police were also investigating but were not expected to lay charges. (Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by John O'Brien)