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. His nickname was "Lights Out" because of his high level karate and boxing skills, and one punch knock out power. He has won many world kickboxing titles, and reached as high as 10th in 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 and boxing titles.
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".
Upon his release, whilst undergoing medical treatment, Adam embarked on what one legal practitioner described in court as "a crusade" to not only defend himself and uncover the identity of those truly responsible for the crime for which he had been charged, but also to have the Australian Human Rights Commission hold NSW Corrective Services accountable for his mistreatment. In 2014 Adam was found unfit to stand trial on the import charge and the Crown withdrew the Supply charge.
In 2023 The Australian Human Rights Commission found that Corrective Services NSW acting behalf of the Commonwealth had denied Adam his human rights.[4]
