Michael Watson, the British boxing legend who has staged a remarkable recovery from severe injury, is taking on another challenge on Wednesday to raise money for charity.
He will be walking a mile to support i-Neuro, the charity previously known as the Brain and Spine Foundation.
“I’m living my purpose, as an inspirational figure, the people’s champion,” Watson told Sky Sports.
“There’s a lot of helpless souls in life, they’re suffering from mental problems, I just want to let them know, don’t give up on yourself.”
Watson visited a boxing gym in the days before this charity walk and was able to put on gloves and gingerly throw punches against a bag.
He smiled broadly to be back in his “home”, a boxing club, and cried out cheerily: “Can you feel the ‘Force'” – a reference to his fighting nickname from his boxing days.
Watson was part of a great era for British boxing; he beat Nigel Benn in 1989 and suffered his terrible injury in his second fight with Chris Eubank Sr in 1991.
Watson is congratulated by Chris Eubank at the London Marathon finish line
It did not bring up any feeling of bitterness to revisit a boxing gym, instead Watson found being there “inspirational”.
“Not only for me,” he said. “No matter what you’re going through in life, just keep the will to survive.
“Look at what I’ve been through in my life. You’re looking at a miracle. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Don’t give up on yourself.
“Don’t give up hope. Just believe in yourself and keep moving on. Life is too precious to give up.”
Peter Hamlyn, the founder and president of i-Neuro, is the surgeon who saved Watson’s life.
“It took him 12 years fighting the most amazing disability to walk the marathon in 2003. It was an extraordinary 12 years of struggle to get over the injury that he’d had. Here we are now in 2025 and he’s walking his mile,” Hamlyn told Sky Sports.
“It’s a long way, a mile, when you’re carrying his degree of disability.
“It is like a marathon and he really has put himself on the line. He’s had a lot of help.
“He puts himself on the line and he’s done that I guess his entire life in a very physical way. It’s hard work and I hope he succeeds.”
Watson carries the Paralympic flame at London 2012
He too sees Watson as an inspiration.
“He had eight surgeries over those weeks after his initial injury. But I think the darkest times were the years that followed. He left hospital after eight months with an incredible level of disability that would crush most of us. Climbed back through that. He’s stronger now than he was 2003,” Hamlyn said.
“I’ve done some stuff for him physically, but what he’s done for me as an individual in terms of showing what’s possible way exceeds that.”
