Boxing casualties: Deaths and serious injuries in Britain

Michael Watson

The Londoner was left paralysed after a WBO super-middleweight bout with Chris Eubank at White Hart Lane in 1991. Watson was in a coma for several days and has only just managed to start moving his limbs again. He took legal action against the BBBC claiming that they were liable for his injuries.

It emerged in court that Watson did not receive any oxygen for 28 minutes and that this contributed towards his injuries. Watson was awarded £1 million sterling. The BBBC is planning to appeal. The boxer has regained some powers of speech but is virtually paralysed as a result of his injuries.

Jimmy Murray

Died following a bantamweight bout with Drew Docherty in Glasgow in 1995. Murray collapsed in the 12th round and was not given oxygen until he arrived in hospital. Doctors operated on him to remove a blood clot but he died two days after collapsing. Murray's parents have announced that they plan to sue the British Boxing Board of Control.

Steve Watt

Died after a Southern Area welterweight clash with Rocky Kelly in Fulham in 1986. Inquest into his death found that he suffered extensive brain damage. The fight was stopped by the referee in the 10th round. Doctors later discovered that Watt had been suffering from brain damage for quite some time and that his death was caused by the recurrence of an old injury.

Bradley Stone

Died three days after being defeated for the British super-bantamweight title. Stone was aged 23 and the fight was stopped after 10 rounds. Following an inquiry into his death compulsory MRI scans were introduced for all boxers in 1995.

Johnny Owen

The pale-faced but talented Welsh fighter died during a bantamweight world title fight against Mexican Lupe Pintor in Los Angeles in September 1980. Owen was knocked out in the 12th round and was in a coma for six weeks before dying at the age of 24. His death led to a bitter dispute between his family, who felt that he should not have been allowed to continue, and his trainer. He suffered serious head injuries.

Gerald McClellan

The American boxer was blinded after a brutal and dramatic WBC super-middleweight fight with the hard-punching Briton Nigel Benn at the London Arena in February 1995. After the tragedy, which left the American paralysed, medical procedures were tightened up for British fighters, who underwent magnetic resonance imaging scans to determine if they were fit to box.

Spencer Oliver

The Londoner was left fighting for his life after suffering a blood clot on the brain while defending his European title in a 1998 fight at the Royal Albert Hall

The boxer has since made a full recovery from the super-bantamweight bout with Sergei Devakov of the Ukraine and now works as a trainer.

Mark Goult

Has been in a wheelchair since his 1990 fight with Danny Porter in Norwich. He won the Southern Area bantamweight title, but later complained of dizziness and has never fully recovered.

Carl Wright

Needed emergency surgery after being knocked unconscious in a British light-welterweight fight with Mark Winters in October 1997. Making a good recovery.