A FORMER boxer was sprayed with acid and dragged through the street in an apparent car-jacking in Chingford.

Michael Watson, 51, was a passenger in a car being driven by his carer, Lennard Ballack, in The Ridgeway at 4.53pm on Thursday when would-be thieves slammed into the back of it.

The thugs then got out of the car, sprayed the two in the face with a noxious substance and dragged the former world title challenger from his seat.

They were taken to hospital but released today (Saturday).

Police are now hunting for the criminals in question after they dumped the car they were driving and ran off.

Mr Watson, who lives in Chingford, held the Commonwealth middleweight title from 1989 to 1991 but his career was cut short when he was put in a coma during a fight by Chris Eubank.

Since then, he has learned to walk and talk again, although not at one hundred percent capacity, and once completed the London Marathon in six days.

Since his retirement from sport he has been recognised by the Queen and awarded an MBE for his work for disabled sport.

A Met spokesman said: "Two men, aged in their 50s, informed officers that they had been sprayed in the face with a suspected noxious substance by two suspects who attempted to steal the car.

"The male suspects fled the scene in a different vehicle.

"The victims were assessed at the scene by the London Ambulance Service before being taken to an east London hospital for further treatment; their injuries are not life-threatening."