Former world champion Paul Williams was Paralyzed from the waist down due to a motorcycle accident that happened near his Atlanta home on Sunday.
In a statement to espn.com, George Peterson who is a Williams Manager/Trainer/Father Figure said “”They’re saying he won’t walk again or box again,” said Peterson, who flew to Atlanta from Washington, D.C., where they were training for Williams’ next fight, on Sunday. “Paul is in denial right now. It’s been that way with him. You tell him he can’t or won’t do something, and he wants to prove you different. So whatever the doctors say, he’s not listening. But they say that (walking and boxing) is not going to happen.”
Peterson said Williams, who lives about an hour outside of Atlanta, had ridden his motorcycle from his home to Atlanta to attend the Sunday wedding of one of his brothers.
Peterson said Williams, 30, is scheduled to have surgery Wednesday to stabilize the portion of his spinal cord that is intact and allows him to move his hands, arms, torso and head.
“The other part of his spinal chord is damaged and has eliminated his lower body movement,” Peterson said.
Peterson continued by saying that Williams is coherent and even joking while in his hospital bed.
Williams, who just signed for a major Pay Per View bout against WBC Super Welterweight champion Canelo Alvarez on September 15th.
