Adam Watt (born 10 November 1967) is an Australian former boxer and kickboxer. He has studied many forms of martial arts, kickboxing, Zen Chi Ryu, Seido-kaikan karate, and boxing. Watt became the first non Japanese live-in student of Seidokaikan and the first foreigner to reach the final of the Karate World Cup. His nickname was "The Technician" because of his high level karate and boxing skills, and one punch knock out power. He has won many world kickboxing titles, and reached the top ten of the highly respected World Boxing Council's and World Boxing Organisation's (W.B.C and WBO) Cruiserweight ratings. In 2000, he challenged WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson for his title. Watt holds the notable distinction of being the first athlete to fight for world Karate, Kickboxing, Shootboxing and Boxing titles.
Watt defeated Manson Gibson in Japan to win the World Shootboxing light-heavyweight title. Watt won the Australian Cruiserweight title in March 2000 in the ANBF "Fight of the Year" against Victorian Tosca Petridis, and was the first Australian to win the Commonwealth Cruiserweight Boxing title. Adam also achieved success in Japan's K-1 Kickboxing tournaments, winning K-1 Oceania, knocking out highly regarded South African Mike Bernardo in 2001 amongst other great victories.
Arrest and assault and fight for justice
In September 2008, Watt was arrested for conspiring to import chemical precursors to the drug methamphetamine.[1] While Watt was on remand awaiting trial, he was hit from behind with a sandwich toaster inside a pillow case. When ambulance officers reached Watt he was clinically dead, but they managed to revive him at the scene. The extent of his injuries has not been made public.[2] Following the attempt on his life, Adam was held in maximum security conditions and denied urgent medical treatment for nearly one year. His condition continued to deteriorate until eventually a brain injury specialist was brought to the jail to examine him. A Magistrate later described his untreated injuries as "life-threatening".
“I would think that blow that we saw on the video, it could have easily have killed him. … he is lucky he is alive, he is badly injured. Dr Adler’s report expressly says this is urgent, this is a real worry … I have no faith in the Justice Health system – None at all.”
“I am not going to countenance a situation whereby even in a strong case, in a very serious case like this, a person is to be almost literally sacrificed, that is, Mr Watt is put at extreme risk of physical maiming through the consequences of his injury or even worse perhaps. It is highly speculative to say he will die, he may not, but even if it is only maiming there is a great risk.” ruled Magistrate Pierce
Upon his release, Watt was admitted as an outpatient at the Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney / brain injury clinic for injuries untreated: “Global cognitive defects: Concentration problems, memory difficulties, and executive dysfunction. As well as post-traumatic stress disorder, including hypervigilance, re-experiencing the trauma, a persistent feeling of being on edge, thoughts racing and sleep disturbance”. Due to the year-long delay in receiving a medical diagnosis, Watt's treatment focused on providing him with the tools to live with his disability rather than repairing the damage.
Whilst undergoing medical treatment, Watt embarked on what one legal practitioner described in court as "a crusade" to not only defend himself but also to have the Australian Human Rights Commission hold NSW Corrective Services accountable for his mistreatment.
In 2014 Watt was found unfit to stand trial on the import charge and the Crown withdrew the Supply charge.
In 2018, Adam Watt was awarded compensation against the State for failing its duty of care. The 2018 findings of the Honourable Justice Garling in the NSW Supreme Court, Watt v State of NSW [2018] NSWSC 1926 which considered the s54 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Justice Garling ruled against the State. “The risk of Mr. Watt suffering physical harm was reasonably foreseeable and not insignificant”.
In assessing the injuries, the State acknowledged that the 15% permanent impairment threshold had been exceeded. Consequently, due to the State’s breach of duty of care, the Court found that Watt had sustained a traumatic brain injury and a permanent disability[3]
In 2023, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) found that Corrective Services NSW, acting on behalf of the Commonwealth, had denied Adam Watt his human rights.
The president of the AHRC found that while Watt was held on remand, he was treated in a manner inconsistent with his right to be treated with dignity and humanity under Article 10(1) of the ICCPR. The president also found that Watt was denied his right to communicate in confidence with legal counsel of his choosing (protected by article 14(3)(b) of the ICCPR) and his right to privacy (protected by article 17 of the ICCPR).[4]
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