Boxer whose knockout left Patrick Day in critical condition said he considered quitting sport

Boxer Charles Conwell wrote in an Instagram post Monday that he considered quitting the sport in the wake of his Saturday night knockout of Patrick Day, which left Day in extremely critical condition.

In an emotional open letter to Day, Conwell said he has replayed the fight "over and over in my head" and is riddled with feelings of guilt and regret over the outcome. Day's management team has said the 27-year-old fighter suffered a traumatic brain injury during his USBA super welterweight title fight against Conwell.

"If I could take it all back I would. No one deserves for this to happen to them," Conwell wrote in the post. "I prayed for you so many times and shedded so many tears because I couldn't even imagine how my family and friends would feel.

"I see you everywhere I go and all I hear is wonderful things about you. I thought about quitting boxing but I know that's not what you would want. I know that you were a fighter at heart so I decided not to but to fight and win a world title because that's what you wanted."

Conwell also included the hashtag "#ChampPatrickDay."

Lou DiBella, the promoter of both fighters, told ESPN on Tuesday that he was moved by Conwell's post.

"I know Charles is profoundly sad right now by what happened. I'm trying to make him realize it's no fault of his," DiBella told the outlet. "I read what he wrote and it put a tear in my eye. It was an incredibly human and honest and genuine response from a kid who is just 21."

Day's status remains unclear. His management team said in a statement over the weekend that Day was in a coma as of Sunday evening, adding that "updates will be provided as circumstances change."

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.