Bahamian muay thai fighter Dewitt "DC" Pratt will be sidelined for several months due to a knee injury.
After a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) on Friday, it was discovered that the 25-year-old has a partial tear in his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus. He also has an avulsion of the posterior meniscus, which means the ligament has completely separated from the bone. Due to the injuries and the desire to continue fighting, Pratt has elected to have surgery to rectify the problem.
"With the surgery and therapy I should be back in action within a few months. Everything depends on what the doctor discovers," Pratt said from Thailand.
Pratt left for a second stint in Thailand last October to train with and compete against some of the best muay thai fighters in the world, but was only able to fight in one bout last December before being shelved with the injuries. Pratt lost that bout on a split decision to Phetrungroj Kaewsamrit at the Max-Pattaya Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand. Despite the severity of his injuries, Pratt said that he wanted all of his supporters to know that he intends to do his best to return to form and to continue to make a name for himself and The Bahamas in the sporting discipline of muay thai.
"I just wanted to keep my supporters in the loop as to why you won't be seeing any action from me in a while," he said. "To those who have supported me, sponsored, and reached out, I'm truly thankful and you have no idea how much I value you people. This is simply a minor setback."
After struggling to find bouts on a regular basis and several fight cancelations on this side of the world, Pratt decided to head to Thailand. He has a little less than two months remaining on his current trip. Prior to his two stints in Thailand, he spent two years fighting out of Atlanta, Georgia. Pratt made his muay thai debut in 2012.
After his time is up in Thailand, Pratt said that he is not sure if he will return to The Bahamas right away, but will weigh his options of going back to Atlanta or travelling to Germany to compete. He fights out of the Sumalee Boxing Gym in Thalang, Phuket, Thailand, and is coached by former muay thai fighter Lamnamoon Sor Sumalee. Last year, Pratt was honored by local businessman and boxing promoter Tommy Stubbs at a professional boxing event here in New Providence for excellence in kickboxing.
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