Mark Watson, left, takes a punch from Jesse Ryder fight during the KFC Godfather of All Fight Nights at Sky City in 2012. Photo / Photosport
Mark Watson, left, takes a punch from Jesse Ryder fight during the KFC Godfather of All Fight Nights at Sky City in 2012. Photo / Photosport
Facing hulking cricketer Jesse Ryder in a charity boxing match after just three weeks' training was "terrifying" and risky, commentator Mark Watson says.
While Watson is a former professional sportsman, former Black Cap batsman Ryder went into the 2012 bout much younger and with significant height, weight and reach advantages.
Ryder subsequently made short work of former Radio Sport commentator Watson with a first round technical knock out.
Mark Watson, left, takes a punch from Jesse Ryder fight during the KFC Godfather of All Fight Nights at Sky City in 2012. Photo / Photosport
"When I fought Jesse Ryder, I knew going in that I was going to get hammered and that there was a good chance I was going to get knocked out - and that's terrifying," he said.
"I can categorically tell you my wife did not want me doing it, my mother did not want me doing it and my wife was in tears during it.
"But I assessed that risk and I made that decision."
Watson said he holds no regrets over taking the bout and never believed at the time he could die in the ring.
However, with hindsight and the knowledge that two people have died in charity boxing matches in the last three years, he acknowledges he could have been seriously hurt .
Cricket player Jesse Ryder has taken on blogger Cameron Slater, right, and commentator Mark Watson in celebrity boxing matches. Photo / Dean Purcell
He now believes more should be done to regulate the events.
This could include ensuring every boxing trainer passes a set qualification and ensuring boxers are better prepared by possibly having training spars that more closely resemble what their experience will be like in the ring.
He said he had three weeks' training from highly respected boxing trainer Lolo Heimuli, but when he got in the ring he forgot it all under the rush of adrenaline and the bright lights.
"Keeping your hands up and doing all the defensive stuff, I just forgot all that and suddenly I just dropped my hands."
Greater thought should also go into matching up opponents evenly, he said. This could include measuring punching power and having all opponents meet and spar before their fights to see if one person was going to be dangerously out-matched.
Doctors should also check on fighters in the days after the bouts.
This was because while Watson was fine during and straight after his Ryder fight, he "felt a little more queasy on the Saturday even though the fight was on the Thursday night".
