An amputee boxer begging sportThe UK authority allowed him to fight in amateur matches.
Matt Edwards, 24, from Havant in Hampshire, had previously been denied a license from the UK. Boxing He worried that his prosthetic leg would give him an advantage.
The boxing authority told the BBC it was “exploring potential options for inclusive competitions” but had previously adhered to its own safety rules.
Mr Edwards cut his leg below the knee after a motorcycle accident five years ago and said England Boxing’s decision ended his boxing dream “before it even started”.
talk to BBC Mr. Edwards said he was “off the track” after his accident. “I started drinking every day and used a few drugs,” he said. “I eventually split up and went to rehab”.
He started boxing after being advised to take up a hobby to help with his rehabilitation.
“I instantly felt that this was my sport,” he added. “As soon as I entered that ring, I felt like I had two legs again”.
Mr Edwards soon wanted to compete in an amateur match, but England Boxing did not grant him a license.
Knowing that the spring on his prosthetic leg could give him more power in his fists, he “made a solid leg.” Unfortunately, he is now “at a disadvantage in the eyes of (England Boxing)”.
“They don’t really consider my case on an individual basis,” he said, and complained that the authority “put me in a disability zone that I didn’t want to be in.”
“I’m not that disabled guy, I’m a different disabled guy. Why should I stop my dream before it even starts?”
A spokesperson for England Boxing has explained in the past that the authority “must abide by a set of rules that do not allow inclusive boxing to happen”.
“As part of our current strategy, we are exploring potential options for inclusive competitions,” the board said.
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