Boxing icon bravely completes 'miracle mile' with help from emotional pal Chris Eubank

Michael Watson bravely walked a 'miracle mile' on Wednesday, before defiantly declaring: "Mission accomplished". In moving scenes, the icon was continually held up by close pal Chris Eubank, 34 years after .

Watson, who was in a coma for 40 days and was told he would never walk again after the 1991 fight, completed the challenge in just under two hours, while around 100 supporters, including Olympic hero Christine Ohuruogu, 40, walked with him and cheered him on.

Moments after crossing the line, Watson, nicknamed The Force during his career, told the : "The Force is back! I feel like I've done a marathon." He then smiled as he joked: "It was like a walk in the park".

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Watson, who celebrated his 60th birthday last month, showed the inspirational spirit that has helped him fight back from near death and overcome every challenge put in front of him over the last three decades. But he was clearly in massive pain throughout the challenge and had to sit down on a camping chair for 30 minutes, close to , amid fears he wouldn't be able to make it to the finish line.

Eubank, 58, who has become close pals with Watson since the fateful night the then 27-year-old was evacuated on a stretcher with his life in the balance, repeatedly appeared emotional both during and after the challenge. He said: "Michael has just described it as a walk in the park, but don't be fooled.

"I could feel the pain he was going through when he was on my shoulder. It was considerable."

Eubank added: "It's always emotional when I'm back with Michael, always. We're looking at the King. He has stayed alive over all these years and is testimony of what can happen to fighters. He is inspiration personified. How do you stay alive after what he's been through? You saw him, he was a vegetable."

Eubank also paid further tribute to his old pal, hailing the "courage and strength" he showed to complete the challenge. Organisers last night said it has helped raise more than £100,000 for The Brain & Spine Foundation, now known as i-Neuro.

That figure includes sums raised by runners competing in Michael's name at the upcoming London Marathon, this weekend, as well as a £25,000 donation by boxing promoter Frank Warren. Christine Ohuruogo, who won gold at the 2008 Olympics, said: "I really admire Michael for what he's done. It's amazing. He's doing his very best to spread positivity and the money he's raised is all for a good cause."

Peter Hamlyn, the neurosurgeon who saved Watson's life with an emergency operation in the aftermath of his fight with Eubank, was also among those who helped support him, both physically and mentally, yesterday.

Speaking afterwards Mr Hamlyn, who is close pals with Watson, admitted: "I feel relieved. There were times back there I thought he wasn't going to make it. He's trained really hard for this. I'm pleased and proud to be his friend. He's a hero."

Mr Hamlyn and two other doctors set up the Brain and Spine Foundation in 1992. It works to improve the quality of life for people with neurological disorders, reduce neurological disability, and provide a national focus for research, education, and information.

Retired boxers, including Julius Francis, Derek Williams and Nick Blackwell, who himself suffered bleeding of the skull after a fight with Chris Eubank Jnr in 2016, also walked alongside Watson.

The star's latest challenge victory comes 22 years after he completed the 2003 London Marathon in aid of the same charity. After sleeping in a support bus at nights, he finished the 26-mile race in six days, two hours, 27 minutes and 17 seconds.

Watson, a former super-middleweight commonwealth champ, was awarded the MBE by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to disability sport less than a year later in February 2004.

A film, which is being directed by Sean Cronin who was yesterday alongside Watson, is now set to be made about the boxer's incredible life, with filming expected to start in July.

Watson celebrated yesterday's achievement by eating a takeaway KFC meal at the finishing line.

Mr Hamlyn added: "Michael was told he could have anything in the he wanted at the end of the challenge and that's what he chose! Tomorrow, he's going to be pretty shattered!".