IT’S BLIND FAITH IN THE RING FOR PAIR
TWO blind boxers will fight on the Gold Coast in what promoters believe will be an Australian first.
Gold Coast duo Damien Williams and Zachariah Clarkson will take to the ring on the undercard of Jamie Myer’s “David & Goliath’’ event on Friday at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.
The pair will be linked by a 1.5m elastic cord that will be strapped to one of their ankles before boxing over three or five rounds. The final round details will be determined on the night.
Clarkson, 25, went blind as a child from degenerative eye disease but has been doing boxing training for some time.
He sought out a worthy opponent and Williams, a 47year-old who lost his sight after two freak accidents, was more than happy to oblige.
“They asked me about five weeks ago if I wanted to be involved and I thought why not,” Williams said.
“I have been doing loads of different races for many years so I’m fairly fit and I’ve always been in the gym on and off over the last 18 years.”
Williams lost vision in his left eye at 13 when he was hit by a pair of pliers and the second at the age of 27 when he was hit by a golf ball.
He trains more than 30 hours a week while Clarkson does at least 10 hours. Williams said he had sparred with Clarkson multiple times in order to get a gauge on the height needed for their jabs and how to move around the ring.