A Porirua kick boxer faces a long road to recovery after a freak accident during a Muay Thai competition left him with serious spinal injuries.
Ra Redden, known as Razor in the ring, was competing for the Light Middleweight Title at the Honour 15 Muay Thai event on Saturday when he received the injuries.
Family spokesperson and combat sports commentator Mike Angove said the 26-year-old was fighting against Gene Elbourne at the Porirua Kennel Club when the pair fell to the ground during a reverse twist.
"Both fighters fell heavily with Ra on the bottom and Ra's head was on a really unfortunate angle and he sustained a neck injury," Angove said.
Redden fractured and twisted one of his vertebrae, putting pressure on his spinal cord and received emergency surgery to relieve the pressure at Wellington Hospital.
He was subsequently put in an induced coma and flown to Burwood Spinal Unit in Christchurch for specialised care.
"The reason to keep him in an induced coma is essentially so he doesn't move his neck or anything of that nature," Angove said.
"He has had damage to his upper cervical vertebra."
Angove said Redden initially couldn't feel anything from his shoulders down, but after two surgeries doctors are yet to determine his outlook.
"Where to from here is we need to allow for the inflammation and swelling to go down, to determine whether there is permanent damage to the spinal column or whether it is just nerve impingement," Angove said.
"That will be a wait to see so everyone at the moment is both devastated and hoping for the best."
He said Redden's family, including his partner and 5-year-old son, have flown to Christchurch to be by his side.
At this point they did not wish to speak to the media.
The Muay Thai community have also gathered to support Redden's recovery and started a Givealittle page.
The page has currently raised just over $20,000 in donations towards his immediate and ongoing medical care and travel costs for his family.
"We're all trying to stay as positive as we can in this situation and do whatever we can for Ra," the Givealittle page read.
"Anyone who knows Ra, knows he's a fighter through and through. Any and all support is appreciated!"
Angove said Redden's family has a long history of competing in combat sports, with a brother having been a world champion and his father a NZ boxing champion many years ago.
Redden himself took up the sport as a teenager and his experience, skill and speed have made him a favourite in the lightweight league.
Angove said this type of injury is uncommon in combat sports.
"We haven't had an injury of this type, certainly not in my collective memory, and I have been engaged in the sport for 25 years.
"These types of injuries are not something that is common to our sport at all. It is far more likely to happen at the bottom of a ruck or kids playing WWF on the back lawn than is it in this kind of event."
* To support Ra Redden's recovery go to Ra 'RAZOR' Redden on Givealittle.
