MICHAEL WATSON remains in good spirits three months on from a horrific attack in Chingford which left he and his carer, Lennard Ballack, hospitalised.
Back in February, Watson suffered burns to the skin after he was pulled from the car he and Mr Ballack were in and was then dragged down the street.
The pair spent the night in hospital but Watson – whose boxing career ended in 1991 after a loss to Chris Eubank left him with life-threatening injuries that left him disabled – has since been recovering at home.
“I’m doing good, I have a few aches and pains but I’m OK,” he told Boxing News earlier today.
“I’m a fighter, I’ll be back. It’s good to see my mates like James [Cook MBE, former British super-middleweight champion], I have a good laugh with James. He keeps talking about beating me though, I’m not sure what he’s on about [laughs].”
Cook handed Watson his first professional loss when he outpointed him over eight rounds in 1986, winning by just half a point in a bout Watson felt he deserved to win, but the pair are now close friends.
James, who is based in Clapton and runs the Pedro Youth Club, sees Watson regularly but still teases him about his win.
“He always asks me why I beat him. I tell him ‘it’s because you were too flash – I had to do it!'” he said.
“It’s really good seeing him. He’s a great man.”
The attack occurred on February 17 while Lennard and Michael were driving.
The 52-year-old was in the passenger seat, with Mr Ballack driving, when a Volkswagen Golf slammed into the back of their vehicle.
The assailants sprayed a substance into Mr Ballack’s eyes, punched him, and pulled Watson out of the car and dragged him along the street.
It is believed the attackers were attempting to steal the car, but they fled the scene. The police are still appealing for information.
