TROWBRIDGE boxer Nick Blackwell has spoken of his amazement at the support he received from his home town while in a coma, and thanked a teenager who raised £700 to help him with his recovery.

In an exclusive interview with the Wiltshire Times, the 25-year-old said he was humbled by the public’s support after his middleweight title defeat in March and said the messages he received on social media almost moved him to tears.

“I was overwhelmed,” he said. “When I was able to sort of read and know what I was doing after the coma, I was looking on social media at all the support and people raising money,” he added.

“Everyone was telling me but I wasn’t taking it in. When I read it, I felt like crying. I couldn’t believe all the positivity that was out there.

“The support in Trowbridge has been amazing and walking down the street has been mental because people are asking me how I am and even within the boxing world who have supported me because we’re like a big family.

“I would 100 per cent go around and meet every single person if I could and I’ve said to Hennessey Sports that if they get a number from people, I’d give them a call or a picture or do something for them. People didn’t have to do that and I didn’t realise how much support I had until I woke up and read it all.”

This week Nick has been able to thank his supporters in person, including aspiring boxer 16-year-old Callum Smith who raised £700 by having his legs waxed.

“When Callum first got into boxing, he started training with me and I realised how good he was,” said Nick.

“Obviously the pro style and amateur style are a little different but he’s doing well.

“When he turns pro when he’s 18 or 19, he’ll do really well even though it is tough. For a young lad, he’s strong, fast and committed and to think I did something for him all that time ago in helping him and as they say if you do something it usually comes back to you.”

While Callum said when handing over the cheque that while he wouldn’t go through the hair-raising challenge again, he was proud to have raised the amount he did.

He said: “What happened to Nick makes me want to push harder to make it further in my career. “Without Nick I wouldn’t be any good and I want to thank everyone who sponsored me.”

Nick was placed in an induced coma after suffering a bleed on the skull during his title-clash with Chris Eubank Jnr and he has only recently been able to return home.

Days after the fight, a fundraising campaign was started by fellow middleweight boxer Adam Etches, on Just Giving which raised nearly £12,000 and inspired others to get involved.

“Adam is in my weight and we have always had a respect for each other and the fundraiser just shows the respect between boxers. We know what we put ourselves through in training and discipline and when something like that happens especially in boxing, it makes you think that you would do it for any other boxer in that position,” Nick said.

Nick announced his retirement from boxing last month but said he is looking forward to the future and is currently looking for a house on the Cornish coast.

He said: “I have always wanted to move to Cornwall, towards Newquay or St Austell. I love surfing – it’s what I do when I’m not fighting.

“I want to open up a gym and a healthy eating café – I have loads of little ideas.”