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Michael Watson (right) poses with fellow boxer Nigel Ben for photographers in Central London recently. - File
LONDON (CMC):
Former Commonwealth middleweight boxing champion Michael Watson will be honoured on Thursday with the broadcast of a television documentary film on Sky Sports.
The story of Watson, the British-born fighter whose parents hailed from Jamaica, will be featured in the film, Michael Watson: The People's Champion, which will be shown exactly 20 years to the day after he was left paralysed following a final-round stoppage by fellow Briton Chris Eubank in a bout for the World Boxing Organisation middleweight title.
Earlier this week, the 'cream of British boxing' gathered at the Dorchester Hotel in the British capital for a charity dinner in Watson's honour and to raise funds for him.
The match on September 21, 1991 had been made following their first meeting three months earlier which ended in a controversial points victory for Eubank.
Watson seemed to be well ahead on points going into the final round of the rematch, but Eubank, knowing that only a knockout could save his title, launched an all-out assault which trapped his adversary on the ropes.
By the time the fight ended, the damage had been done. Both fighters dropped, but Watson spent 40 days in a coma, underwent six brain surgeries, and suffered partial paralysis.
His fightback from paralysis has been remarkable, culminating in Michael completing the 2003 London Marathon and receiving the MBE the following year.
Receiving a special WBO People's Champion-of-the-World belt at the dinner, Watson quipped: "At last, justice is done. I want to thank everyone who has been such a great help to me throughout my life. Life is a gift, and I'm so happy to be able to share this special evening with so many friends."
Among those friends and family were two of Watson's fighting foes Eubank and Nigel Benn, who escorted the guest-of-honour into the packed ballroom after a parade of fighting greats, including John Conteh, Joe Calzaghe, Duke McKenzie, Spencer Oliver, and Johnny Nelson.
Sky Sports' Adam Smith chaired proceedings and interviewed Eubank and Benn about their fights with Watson.
"Michael was such a gentleman before the fight - he was so calm, almost like Yoda and for 11 rounds he dealt me a bitterly emotional beating," said Eubank.
"It is a fight that really should be celebrated - it was his greatest performance and it was the greatest fight I was ever in, and so much more has happened out of the contest that has made boxing a safer sport - it's all down to Michael and we all owe him a great debt."
A charity auction raised considerable funds for Watson, with boxing memorabilia kindly donated and signed from those in attendance and also from megastars like Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and the Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, while Michael's beloved football club Arsenal and their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur also donated special items.
