KEY POINTS:
American heavyweight boxer Kelvin "Koncrete" Davis has literally taken a dive - suffering back and neck injuries when jumping off a bridge to avoid Auckland traffic.
The boxer, dubbed "Li'l Tyson" due to his short stature and facial tattoos, was to have fought New Zealander Shane Cameron in Auckland on Thursday night.
Davis was taken to North Shore Hospital on Sunday night after leaping several metres on to rocks from near the end of the upper harbour crossing at Greenhithe.
Promoter Dean Lonergan yesterday said Davis was fortunate to avoid being paralysed when landing on his back after "bizarrely" taking evasive action from oncoming traffic while out on a training run.
"He got a fright from a car ... for whatever reason the cars started getting too close to him and he jumped over the side of the bridge. It's a freaky thing."
Davis was reportedly knocked out by the impact and when he recovered consciousness about two hours later the 29-year-old managed to climb on to the bridge and flag down a passing motorist.
By this time his brother, Kelly, had begun his own search in the darkness.
"He was beside himself, wondering where his brother was," Lonergan said. "It's one of the most bizarre things I've heard in my life."
Instead, he now faces back surgery and a month-long rehabilitation before being able to return to his base in Nevada.
Cameron, the "Mountain Warrior", will now meet Brazilian Jucimar Francisco Hipolito.
Cameron's International Boxing Federation Pan Pacific, World Boxing Association Pan African and World Boxing Organisation Asia Pacific belts are at stake.
- NZPA
