The rest of the story about taking a punch from Deontay Wilder ...

Before providing the following update I want to make it absolutely clear that I'm not upset with anyone, especially Deontay Wilder, the reigning world WBC heavyweight champion. Few people were rooting for him more during his recent title bout than me.  

As many of you know in 2008 I came up with the "brilliant" idea of getting into the ring with Wilder and, most importantly, taking a punch from him. Actually the original idea was to work with his trainers for a week and then spar, but that eventually turned into a two-minute "Here's how you throw a punch" session before I got thrown into the ring. 

Wilder was in the middle of an intense workout when I suddenly felt like a trapped mouse looking at hungry boa constrictor. We moved around for a few seconds, I decided to throw a punch and made the mistake of leaning in when Wilder promptly threw a jab and decked me (he was aiming for the helmet padding but I didn't cooperate). Despite being urged to continue I'd had enough and immediately threw in the towel.

For those of you who missed it here's the column in the Tuscaloosa News and the video is on the left-hand side (I borrowed the photo that follows, I hope they don't mind).

Now here's the rest of the story (in a very Paul Harvey-like way):

A couple of weeks later I wasn't feeling well so went to my doctor and we eventually started joking about the punch and subsequent black eye. When I mentioned my top lip had been numb ever since he said "I bet you broke your orbital bone," as that was one of the tells. We could have done a CT scan to confirm, but there didn't appear to be much that could be done minus rest and letting it heal on its own. 

Fast forward to the past couple of months. I had become a regular visitor to my doctor (different one) due to reoccurring sinus infections that had been going on for years. Having exhausted all other options we decided it was time for me to see a specialist, who quickly diagnosed a deviated septum. 

Two weeks ago I had surgery and while still out the specialist asked my wife if I had been in a car accident or involved in some sort of head trauma. In short, that one punch had caused numerous fractures which not only led to his seeing some fat that had originally been in my eye socket (yes, somewhere in my nasal passages) but closed off one of my sinus cavities -- the cause of the sinus infections. 

Go figure.  

I now remind you all how I started the column, which won some awards and may have had my best lede ever: "Apparently I'm an idiot" ...