Boxing announcer David Diamante came within inches of being paralysed in crash

12/29/2021

David Diamante was told by doctors that a bone was just two millimetres away from damaging his spine and causing paralysis after his accident.

The Matchroom Boxing announcer has become a permanent fixture of the domestic cards and has received awards for his infamous announcing of huge bouts.

He was involved in a serious motorcycle accident before Christmas that left him in a critical condition in hospital.

Now the popular boxing voice has recalled the shocking verdict of doctors who confirmed he was extremely close to missing out on a full spinal recovery.

“The bike just left me,” Diamante told Sports Illustrated. "I skidded a full block, eventually crashing into a parked van.

“It's like if you're walking and you slip on black ice, and you f****** land on your a**, you fall so fast, you can't catch yourself. That's what I remember, the bike just went out from under me. My back is basically metal."

Diamante was then told that "the bone penetrating his spine was less than two millimeters away from leaving him paralysed".

The American ring announcer has recently been seen in the ring announcing a whole host of big fights including Conor Benn's recent victory over Chris Algieri.

He was the main announcer in his last outing for the heavyweight classic rematch between Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora, in the final Matchroom Boxing bill of the year.

Diamante's immediate diagnosis left question marks over whether he would be able to "walk again" after requiring five hours of surgery in a New York hospital.

He also suffered multiple broken ribs and damage to his right knee during the crash after having nine screws inserted to fix his spine.

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After his tragic accident, Diamante issued a statement to thank fans of the sport and is confident that he will return to announcing after his recovery.

"I sustained severe injuries on Monday, December 20," Diamante told Boxing Scene. "On Tuesday morning, a team of remarkable neurosurgeons led by Dr. Joseph Pyun rebuilt my spine.

"On Wednesday night, with great effort, I was able to stand for a few seconds with assistance and take a few small steps with a walker. That's a good sign. I'm going to walk again. Once my condition is stable, I'll be transferred to a rehab facility.

"I understand the gravity of my condition. It's with me every moment. My body has to heal. It has been through a massive trauma. Even with medication, the pain is excruciating.

"I've had a lot of experiences in my life that came with pain – physical and psychological. I got through them and was in a very good place when this happened. I'm going to get past this and be in a very good place again. I don't feel sorry for myself. I don't feel defeated. This is just another part of my journey."

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