Jason Cunningham, renowned for his boxing prowess with British, European, and Commonwealth titles under his belt, is facing a new kind of battle alongside his family. This challenge is not fought in the ring but in the neonatal intensive care unit.
The 34-year-old boxer turned trainer and his partner, 34-year-old Bec, received unexpected news in mid-March. Despite already having two daughters, including a 17-month-old with Jason, Bec discovered she was five months pregnant with their second child just a week before Jason’s scheduled debut as a head trainer.
Tragically, within days of this revelation, Bec went into premature labor, delivering their son, Cheance John Cunningham, on March 19 at Hull Royal Infirmary. Born at just 1.5 lbs (680g), Cheance faced daunting odds, with medical experts giving him a 45% chance of survival.
“It was a massive shock,” admitted Bec, who, like Jason, hails from Woodlands in Doncaster. “I don’t think we really got a chance to get our heads around it.”
Despite the initial shock, Jason expressed hope, noting Cheance’s gradual improvement each day. “He’s in the best hands with the best care possible,” he affirmed. “It’s his little battle.”
Sadly, premature births like Cheance’s are not uncommon. Bliss, a charity specializing in supporting premature or sick babies, reports that approximately 60,000 babies are born prematurely in the UK each year, necessitating urgent neonatal care.
Cheance, who spent his early days on a ventilator, recently reached a significant milestone by being taken off the machine. However, the road to recovery remains long, with medical staff cautioning Jason and Bec about the challenges ahead.
Bec, unable to hold her newborn son for the first ten days of his life, expressed the frustration of feeling helpless. “It’s hard because we can’t do anything for him. I can’t even feed him. You feel helpless,” she lamented.
Meanwhile, amidst the turmoil of Cheance’s early arrival, Jason found himself coaching boxer Jimmy Joe Flint to a stunning victory in the ring on March 23. Flint’s win against Campbell Hatton, son of British boxing legend Ricky Hatton, was a testament to Jason’s coaching prowess during what he described as the “craziest week” of his life.
Jason, who boasts a tattoo reading “The underdog who never lost hope” across his chest, sees a parallel between his own career and his son’s early struggles. “With how his life has started, he’s come out a fighter,” Jason proudly declared.
As Cheance continues his fight for survival, his indomitable spirit mirrors the resilience instilled by his father’s own journey in the world of boxing.
