Doctors were expected to turn off the life support system yesterday for James Oyebola, a British former heavyweight boxing champion who was shot in the head at a London nightclub this week.
Oyebola, 46, was to be declared legally dead at about 10:30am GMT yesterday, his lawyer said, after his family have been given the opportunity to pay their last respects.
"James is now brain dead," Scott Ewing said. "There will be a meeting ... [Friday] where two consultants will do legally required tests. He is being artificially kept alive for members of the family to pay their last respects. But there's no chance, none whatsoever."
PHOTO: AP
Oyebola has been at London's Charing Cross hospital since the close-range attack in the early hours of Monday morning.
The 2m tall former boxer was hit in the leg and head at the rear of the Chateau 6 nightclub, near English Premiership football club Chelsea's west London ground.
He had been there for a drink with the owner and was seriously injured after helping staff who had asked three men to stub out their cigarettes. Smoking inside pubs, clubs and bars has been banned in England since July 1.
The men who attacked Oyebola, said to be black and aged between 19 and 25, then fled on foot.
The investigation is being handled by Scotland Yard's Operation Trident squad, which deals with so-called "black on black" shootings.
Born in Lagos, Oyebola -- known as "Big Bad" during his career -- won 18 of his 23 fights as a professional and was a bronze medalist at the 1986 Commonwealth Games.
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