Mylik Birdsong, 31, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon.

Birdsong, an emerging welterweight who turned pro in 2017, had been scheduled to next fight Gor Yeritsyan on Oct. 26 in a co-main event at Commerce Casino in Commerce, California.

Birdsong (15-1-1, 10 KOs) was coming off a victory over Jerry Bradford in March, which followed his only career loss – a knockout defeat to unbeaten Jose Quintana (9-0, 7 KOs) last November in Long Beach, California.

The shooting occurred around 4:50 p.m. PT on the 1600 block of 87th Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Birdsong was standing outside a vehicle with his girlfriend inside when another vehicle approached.

"The victim ran towards his residence as two suspects exited the vehicle and chased him while continuing to shoot,” an LAPD spokesperson told KTLA 5 News.

Birdsong collapsed in a nearby driveway and was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said Birdsong had been shot seven times in the torso. The suspects fled the scene in the SUV.

Authorities are still searching for the suspects and the motive behind the fatal shooting of Birdsong.

Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.