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Tournament Canceled After UT Boxer Collapses, Dies

During a match Friday night, boxer Tanner Wray was walking to his corner after the end of the second round when he collapsed onto the mat.

UPDATE 3 PM SATURDAY: The remaining day of competition in the annual Ace Miller Boxing Weekend has been canceled.

Tracy Miller-Davis, tournament principal and the daughter of the late boxing trainer Ace Miller, released a statement Saturday afternoon. Saturday was to be the final day of the event.

"It is with our deepest sympathy in announcing the passing of Tanner Wray," the statement reads. "The tournament scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018 has been cancelled.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Family and friends of this boxer."

Wray, a 20-year-old aerospace engineering major, was taking part as a junior light heavyweight, when he collapsed and fell unconscious after the second round of his match Friday night. He could not be revived.

The rest of Friday's events were called off after Wray became stricken.

PREVIOUS STORY: The Knoxville Police Department is investigating Saturday as the Vol community mourns the death of a student at a Friday night fundraising boxing match.

The second night of the annual Boxing Weekend tournament, billed as "the biggest party weekend in the South", was called off Friday night after boxer Tanner Wray collapsed between rounds and was taken away for medical attention.

Twenty-year-old Tanner Wray, an aerospace engineering student from Lawrenceburg, Tenn., was walking to his corner after the end of the second round at the Knoxville Expo Center on Clinton Highway when he collapsed on the mat and didn't get up.

Wray was pronounced dead at University of Tennessee Medical Center.

KPD says an autopsy will be performed to determine Wray's cause of death.

Students have already began sharing their condolences on social media.

Chi Phi fraternity, for whom Wray was boxing, says Wray served as a vice president at the organization's UT chapter. The fraternity's national chapter posted to its website saying, "Our thoughts are with Tanner’s family and friends, the Phi Delta Chapter, and the Vols community."

UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport tweeted her condolences to Wray's loved ones Saturday morning.

Also reacting to Wray's death was Josh Dobbs, the former UT quarterback who also was an aerospace engineering major.

"This is devastating! Praying for Tanner and his family!" Dobbs, now playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, tweeted Saturday.

The University of Tennessee is offering counseling resources for students dealing with Wray's death. University officials say the Counseling Center staff is available to meet with both individuals and organizations seeking help. Students can also call 865-974-HELP, a 24/7 referral service for individuals concerned about the safety and well-being of others.

Wray's fraternity posted a photo advertising the event on their Facebook page.

The Ace Miller Memorial Boxing Tournament is an amateur event for UT fraternity members.The tournament is not organized through the university.

Tournament coordinators say they've canceled the event scheduled for Saturday night.

10News reporter John North said a doctor at the match jumped into the ring immediately after Wray collapsed. A medical crew treated him for several minutes before taking him away on a stretcher.

Friday was the second night of the three-night tournament. Hundreds of students typically attend. The tournament is named in memory of Ace Miller, who ran the Golden Gloves Gym in Knoxville and helped found the tournament. He died in 2012.

Money raised from the tournament goes to the Golden Gloves, Knoxville Chapter.

UT students gathered on campus Friday night for a prayer vigil for Wray.

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