The girlfriend of boxer Mike Towell says she is "in shock" following an outpouring of support from the boxing world after his death.

Towell, 25, was stretchered from the ring after being stopped by the referee in the fifth round of his bout against Welshman Dale Evans at Glasgow's Radisson Blu Hotel on Thursday night.

The fighter, known as "Iron" Mike, fell to the canvas at the conclusion of the fight run by the St Andrews Sporting Club before doctors rushed into the ring to offer medical attention and provide him with oxygen.

The father, who has a young son named Rocco, battled on for almost 12 hours after being taken off life support and his family and manager, who were at his bedside in hospital, have been left devastated by the loss.

His manager Tommy Gilmour said Towell was one of the "greatest characters" he has ever met while girlfriend Chloe Ross revealed she was "absolutely heartbroken" but her partner of eight years had "left doing the thing he's best at".

Tributes from around the boxing world from fight legends, former champions, promoters and managers have flooded in after the death.

Three time world champion Ricky Hatton set up a justgiving page on line to raise funds to help the family which has reached almost £24,000 in just one day.

Ms Ross has now thanked everyone for their support and said "Iron" Mike would be "so happy all his boxing heroes know who he is".

She wrote on Facebook: "Thank you all so, so much for all the kind messages and the fundraising. I'm in shock. Everyone is so kind. And I have loved seeing everyone's pictures of him.

"I can't believe how loved that boy is! He will be so happy all his boxing heroes know who he is, just the wrong circumstances.

"The last picture of Rocco and his daddy which he sent me on Wednesday. So glad Michael has his dad up there with him."

His manager Tommy Gilmour said Towell was one of the "greatest characters" he has ever met and described the fighter as not only an "exciting boxer" but a "very special man".

Mr Gilmour, who spent almost 36 hours at the bedside vigil with Towell's family, said: "He was Iron Mike to the end, he kept fighting 'til the last and we have lost an exciting boxer but, more importantly, a very special man.

"I am devastated and all my thoughts are with Mike's mum Tracey, his partner Chloe and their little son Rocco.

"He was one of the greatest characters I have worked with, I came away from every phone call or chat we had smiling and shaking my head in bewilderment.

"Mike died doing what he loved best, boxing. He put so much into every part of his life, both inside and outside the ring."

Alex Arthur, former world super featherweight champion, also paid tribute to father-of-one Towell.

He told STV News: "A young fighter that I've met and seen box before and know has been coached very well, it's a really hard one to swallow. It's horrific.

"I've met Mike a few times and could tell he was going to be a fighter who would be dangerous. He was aggressive, a big puncher and dedicated.

"He seemed like a very outgoing lad, a nice lad, and clearly wanted to make a life for himself in the sport. It's tragic"

St Andrew's Sporting Club owner Iain Wilson said: "He wasn't just a fighter at our club, he was my friend and a special heart and soul guy. I was with the family through the night after the fight, they are heartbroken and everyone at the Club shares their grief.

"We promoted nine of Mike's 13 fights, six of them were in the St Andrew's Sporting Club and our members loved watching him doing what he loved best.

"We have lost one of our favourite sons and boxing has lost an explosive talent but the biggest loss of all is for the Towell family. We will rally round them now to do all we can."

Ms Ross earlier revealed that Towell died from severe bleeding and swelling to his brain and had been complaining of headaches in the weeks leading up to the fight.

However, a spokesman for St Andrews said that nobody in Towell's management team was aware of any headache problems leading up to the fight.