British hero Michael Watson – who was a fine fighter in the ring before he suffered near-fatal injuries in his September 1991 fight with Chris Eubank – became a hero due to the way he defied the odds by reclaiming his life after almost dying from the brain injuries he suffered in the return fight with Eubank. As much as a nation watched the bitter grudge-fight take place, many more millions watched with bated breath as news of Watson’s condition ran nightly on the news. For a while.
After a while, the story was no longer headline stuff, as is human nature; other, more interesting news items took over. But Watson was forever fighting behind the scenes, the great heart he showed in the ring, along with his incredible mental strength, seeing him make an astonishing partial recovery.
Today, in the middle of London, Watson will walk a mile in aid of the charity I-neuro. Alongside Watson will be the neurosurgeon who saved his life, Peter Hamlyn. Watson, now aged 60, has remained a truly inspirational figure to millions of people around the world. Having come as close to death as Hamlyn says he has seen a person come during his medical career, Watson somehow pulled through.
“I don’t think you can over-emphasise how seriously ill he was,” Hamlyn said of Watson when speaking with The Daily Mail. “He was as close to death as I think anyone I’ve encountered has been – and he remained there for many weeks, sort of hovering at the door. The fact that he survived that journey is remarkable.”
Watson, who in total spent eight months in hospital, with him undergoing eight operations, fought harder than hard for 12 long years overall, with him, quite unbelievably running the London Marathon in 2003! Today, Watson will be walking that mile, cheered on by many well-wishers.
Watson, who survived the darkest, bleakest times imaginable, says one special visit from a special person really helped him recover the way he did.
“It was really hard. I was sat there, couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. But, there was a moment that changed everything for me,” Watson said. “I heard this voice, ‘I’m the greatest, I’m the greatest!’ I looked up – it was Muhammad Ali. I couldn’t believe it. He grabbed my face and rubbed my cheek, pulling all these funny expressions. It made me laugh – the first noise I’d made since the coma. That was my breakthrough.”
Michael Watson and Muhammad Ali: two great, great heroes.
People who wish to do so can donate to I-neuro via the website The Brain and Spine Foundatio