After Years of Being Punched in the Head, Olympic Boxing Medalist Opens Up About Nerve Damage

The 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medalist Tony Jeffries has always talked about the danger of boxing and the long-lasting effect of the sport on an athlete’s body. Jeffries turned pro in 2009 and was undefeated before he had to give up boxing in 2012 due to repeated hand injuries.

After retirement, the fighter underwent several head scans. The situation turned scary when the scans revealed damage to the skull. Jeffries has repeatedly talked about the constant state of fear he has to live in. “I’ve been punched in the head over 50,000 times in my life,” said Jeffries while talking about his injuries, which often leaves him worrying about dementia. In the latest post, the British boxer revealed that his worst fears might be coming true as he opened up about his current state and chances of nerve damage. 

Tony Jeffries’ scary condition

‘The Mighty Mackem’ took to X to reveal his current condition and what he is suffering from. He revealed that he has been dealing with an issue in his scapula for a while now because of which he faces a variety of things. “I’m getting tingling in my fingers and hand when I turn my head or do almost anything, even just sit down, and I’m in constant pain,” revealed Jeffries while implying that there could be some kind of nerve problem.

He then went ahead to reveal the complete condition of his head and what the MRI and X-ray revealed. According to the doctors, the test “shows early cervical degenerative disc disease with minimal disc height reduction between the C5 and C6 vertebrae.” The discs act as cushions between the bones and because of the wear and tear, those cushions have started to become thin, which can make the neck more vulnerable and the person can be susceptible to further chronic diseases.

The Sunderland resident further revealed that he has not used his head for fights for 8 years now and still the damage is alarming. Thankfully, he was able to identify the condition early on and will try to solve the issue through treatment.

The journey ahead for Jeffries

Once the scans were through, the 39-year-old took to his X and wrote, “Sensory and motor nerve conduction in my right arm is functioning within normal limits, meaning the nerves are still transmitting signals properly.” This means that his motor nerves are properly sending signals from the brain to the muscles and are controlling the right movements. On the other hand, his nerves are also reacting particularly well and are sending signals to the brain, allowing it to feel sensations like touch and pain.

“Moving forward, the goal will be to focus on relieving the compression through treatment, which may include physical therapy, injections, or other interventions to reduce inflammation and pressure on the nerves,” stated Jeffries. Physical therapies to relieve nerve compressions could vary from manual therapy involving joint mobilization to simple stretching exercises. The experts might even try some strengthening exercises and posture training, but considering Jeffries’ background, that might not be needed.

For the next few months, the Olympian might have to use hot and cold packs regularly to reduce inflammation and might even have to undergo electrical stimulation to increase muscle contractions. 

Furthermore, the boxer was overwhelmed by the support he received from his fans, as he thanked everyone and stated, “Overall I’m the fittest & healthiest I’ve been in over 10 years.. other than this I feel amazing,” which means there might not be much to be worried about. He just wanted to give updates and raise awareness as other people are going through the same and will continue to raise awareness regarding the injuries and safe practices in combat sports.

What do you think of Tony Jeffries’ latest health update? Make sure to leave a message or some tips for him during this time and do let us know your thoughts down below.