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:This article is about the boxer. For the Member
of the Scottish Parliament, see Michael Goodall
Watson.

Michael Watson (born March 15, 1965) is a former
Boxing|boxer from England. Born in London, he is a
resident of Islington. Although he did not become
a world champion, many in England see him as a
hero. 

Watson debuted professionally as a boxer on
October 16, 1984, beating Winston Wray by a
knockout in round four in London. The great
majority of his fights were fought in London, and
only one of his fights was outside England.

Watson rose quickly though the WBO Middleweight
ranks, building a record of 18 wins, 1 loss and
one draw before venturing for the first and only
time outside his native soil. During that 20 fight
span, he beat such notables as Don Lee
(boxing)|Don Lee and Ricky Stackhouse. Then, he
went to Las Vegas, Nevada, United States|USA,
where he would fight to a two round technical draw
(tie) with Israel Cole. Three wins followed, and
then, Watson faced future world champion Nigel
Benn for the British Commonwealth Middleweight
title. In what would turn out to be his biggest
career win, he defeated Benn by knockout in round
six, on May 21, 1989.

On April 14, 1990, he received his first world
title try, when he challenged World Boxing
Association|WBA world champion Mike McCallum,
losing by a twelve round decision. 

After three more wins, he was given a second world
title try, on June 22, 1991, against WBO world
champion Chris Eubank. Watson lost a close bout by
twelve round decision, and many fans and critics
thought that he should have been crowned world
champion that night, so the WBO ordered an
immediate rematch.

His rematch with Eubank, held on September 21,
1991, would turn out to be a turning point for
Watson's life. It has been called one of the most
brutal fights in British boxing history. After
dropping Eubank in round eleven, Watson seemed
confident that victory was his. However, Eubank,
probably feeling desperate to retain his title,
landed a punch to Watson's chin just as that same
round ended and Watson fell. Watson did not
recuperate completely from this punch before the
next round began. Eubank felt he was behind on
points and needed a knockout, so he proceeded to
punish Watson along the ropes. After the fight was
stopped by the referee, chaos ensued because
Watson suddenly collapsed inside the ring.

In need of quick medical help, he faced some dire
moments: there was no ambulance or paramedics at
the event's site, and Watson went 30 minutes
without oxygen, finally being put on an oxygen
mask after an ambulance had been rushed from a
nearby hospital. These 30 minutes without oxygen
proved vital in the outcome of Watson's future,
and he spent 40 days in a coma. It is believed
that the 30 minutes Watson spent without oxygen
are among the largest amount of time that a person
has gone without oxygen and survived in history.

Chris Eubank himself was affected after this: he
went on to be defeated by Steve Collins a couple
of years later, and he went through hard emotional
times, as many boxers do after these types of
boxing accidents, as reflected by his win-loss
record after the second fight with Watson.

Watson woke up from his coma, but even then, his
prognosis was not good. His neurosurgeon was
afraid Watson would never speak or walk again. He
spent many years at the hospital, slowly
recovering some of his movements, and regaining
the ability to eat regular food, read, and write
simple notes. Still, in 1999, his neurosurgeon
wrote that Watson would never be able to walk
again.

Soon after, the doctor's prognosis began to
change, as Watson started getting off bed and was
able to begin walking therapy. But his doctor was
still a little negative: He said that Watson would
have a hard time walking half the distance of a
room. 

On April 19, 2003, Michael Watson made headlines
and became an instant national hero in England,
when he was able to complete, after 6 days, the
London Marathon. Finishing the race by his side
were Chris Eubank and his neurosurgeon, who has
become a personal friend of his.

Watson received, on February 4 of 2004, an Order
of the British Empire|MBE by Elizabeth II of the
United Kingdom|HRH Queen Elizabeth II. She told
him that she had heard of his achievements. Watson
himself felt overjoyed and noted that this was the
first visit to Buckingham Palace by him, his
brother and his mother, although they had passed
in front of the Palace many times before.

Another of Nigel Benn's rivals, Gerald McClellan,
went through a similar, life threatening
situation, but McClellan's emergency, unlike
Watson's, occurred after a fight with Benn
himself. McClellan was also told he'd never be
able to talk or walk again, but he has slowly been
recuperating both abilities too.

The BBBC, United Kingdom|Britain's governing
boxing commission, was enraged that there were no
paramedics at the site, citing that not only the
boxers themselves, but also the large public could
be in danger if another emergency occurred to
anyone during a boxing event in Britain. As a
consequence of this, the regulatory body made it a
requirement for boxing promoters to have
ambulances, medical doctors and paramedics on the
site of the boxing event. Watson was awarded $1
million US dollar|dollars, most of it to cover for
his medical expenses. 

Watson had 26 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws as a
boxer, with 21 wins by knockout.