Climbing off the canvas after a brain injury in boxing

Luis Palmer (right) had his boxing career cut short by a brain injury

Every boxer knows the risk they take when they step through the ropes - the only guarantee is they will get hit.

But what happens when the odds go against them? The BBC spoke to two former boxers trying to rebuild their lives after brain injuries.

"I came close to losing my life," said 29-year-old Luis Palmer, who has no recollection of the night his life changed forever.

Luis was fast making a reputation as a party-spoiler who would upset the script boxing in the away corner.

But he was knocked out in the fifth round during a fight in Glasgow in April 2022 and spent the next five days in an induced coma.

After just four professional fights, his boxing career was over.

"Everyday life since then has been difficult," said the father-of-three from Sheffield.

"It's difficult to know my fighting journey has come to an end."

Luis began boxing aged 18 and dreamt of becoming a world champion.

"I was fighting for my kids," he said.

"When you are fighting for your family, for a reason, and then you have a setback, it's difficult to restart."

Luis, then a father-of-two, says he was using boxing as a means to provide for his sons

Luis is a former stablemate of Sheffield boxer Scott Westgarth, who was fatally injured in the ring in February 2018.

He knew the potential dangers of the sport long before he made his debut in 2022.

"As boxers, you know what you are getting into," said Luis, who boxed at cruiserweight.

"It's just the difficult realisation when you are actually living it."

Luis's mum Michelle rushed straight to Glasgow from the family home in Sheffield when she found out her only child was fighting for his life.

'Can't come back without him'

She described the days spent by his side praying he would wake up as "the worst of my life".

"I just remember the feeling in my stomach when I first saw him on the hospital bed, lifeless. I couldn't imagine if he would get back up again.

"When I got up to Glasgow I thought 'You can't come back to Sheffield without him because life wouldn't be worth living'."

Michelle became her son's primary carer in the weeks and months following his injury.

"He was fully dependent on me at one stage for at least six months," she said.

"I had to cook and clean for him. That was hard to get used to again."

As part of his recovery, he was introduced to fellow Sheffield fighter Jerome Wilson, who suffered a life-changing brain injury 10 years ago.

Jerome had a titanium plate fitted in his skull and had to learn how to eat again. He continues to endure excruciating pain.

Jerome says he still suffers pain every day

"The other day I was crouched up in a ball because I felt like my head was going to explode," the 39-year-old father-of-two said.

"I have pain every day.

"The experience I'm having to deal with, that Luis is having to deal with, that can break a lot of people."

Both men suffer with short-term memory loss, headaches and mood swings among a long and growing list of symptoms.

"It affects your relationships with people," said Luis.

"For the first seven nights [when I woke up] I couldn't walk, I didn't want to talk to anyone."

Jonny Powls, a clinical psychologist at the Sheffield Community Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team, which has supported both men, said a brain injury could have a "lifetime impact".

"Rehab is a lot more about developing strategies to minimise the impact that these injuries have on everyday life," he said.

Luis said he was a "highly functioning individual" before his injury.

As well as boxing, he was studying for a degree in occupational health.

"Now, I'm more or less classed as disabled. That change of identity can be frustrating, not being able to do everything I used to.

"I'm still very dependent on my mum and my family.

"Without my mum I don't think I would still be here."

Jerome spent 10 days in a medically-induced coma

"I see us as champions," added Jerome, who returned to full-time work, as an employability tutor, for the first time since his injury 18 months ago.

"Not everyone can do that. I have got a lot of pride in it," added the former welterweight.

"I have ups and downs and I'm OK with that. It's not an easy life to live, but I'm grateful to live it. I don't take things for granted."

Jerome was able to return to full-time work 18 months ago but still suffers pain daily

Luis has resumed his degree and is now in the final year of his studies. He wants to use boxing with occupational therapy patients in future and has his own sports massage therapy business.

"It's a big shame I can't box," he said. "At the same time I'm just happy I'm here for my kids.

"I'm going to do whatever I can to give my boys a stable future, as well as having me here to support them."