Former welterweight champ Williams paralysed from waist down after motorbike crash

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UPDATED:

06:47 GMT, 29 May 2012

Boxer Paul Williams was left paralysed from the waist down by a motorbike accident in Georgia on Sunday.

The 30-year-old American, a two-time former WBO welterweight champion, was thrown from his bike while riding in a suburb of Atlanta.

Tragic: Paul Williams has been told he'll never walk again

His spinal cord was severed, leaving him with no movement in his legs.

Promoter Dan Goossen said: 'Unfortunately, the news reported is accurate.

'We can only hope Paul is able to overcome his biggest fight in regaining his mobility.'

Williams had been scheduled to fight Saul Alvarez in September, but manager George Peterson said the fighter had been told by doctors he was unlikely to walk again.

Peterson told espn.com: “They're saying he won't walk again or box again.

'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.'

Williams beat Antonio Margarito to claim his first title in 2007, before losing his next fight to Carlos Quintana.

Williams beat Quintana in a rematch before surrendering his title when he moved up to light middleweight, securing the interim WBO crown by defeating Verno Phillips.

The southpaw also fought at middleweight, securing a memorable points victory over future champion Sergio Martinez.

But a subsequent second-round knockout by the Argentinian in 2010, and an unimpressive and controversial points win over Erislandy Lara the following year, saw his stock fall.

The scheduled fight against highly-rated 21-year-old Alvarez, for the WBC light middleweight title, had been seen as a chance for Williams to prove he was still among the sport's elite fighters.