By Liam Napier

Jesse Ryder is confident he will avoid any head injuries after being given medical clearance to participate in a charity boxing fight against controversial blogger Cameron Slater in Christchurch next month.

The former Black Caps opening batsman was assaulted outside a Christchurch bar by Dylan and Craig O'Neill in March, 2013, after celebrating the end of the season with Wellington team-mates. Ryder was placed in an induced coma for three days and the men are due to be sentenced on May 6.

Ryder said today reports he suffered a fractured skull in the assault were incorrect and also indicated the coma was due aspirating issues created by a collapsed lung rather than the head injuries.

"A lot of people have come out and said I shouldn't be doing it but I've passed all my medical and concussion clinic tests and had no recurring issues so I'm happy with where I'm at," Ryder said. "If I had issues I wouldn't have taken the fight."

Ryder said he had permission from Otago Cricket and was unconcerned with suggestions the assault may leave him more susceptible to sustaining another head injury through a blow from Slater on the Super8 card.

"There were a lot of people saying I had a fractured skull but there was nothing like that. It might have been a minor concussion. My lungs were the main reason I struggled after the incident happened."

Sky Arena matchmaker Mark Keddell said both Ryder and Slater would wear headgear and fight in 18 ounce gloves. Professional boxers usually wear 10 ounce gloves.

Normal practice will also see Ryder undergo another medical test one day before the fight on March 28.

"He had psychological tests for a year after the incident for a suspected brain injury and he passed them all," Keddell said. "That's why he's got clearance to play cricket. Otherwise, you look at what happened to Phillip Hughes.

"We'd never put a fight on that would put someone in danger. He was assessed by a doctor this morning and given the all-clear."

After recovering from nerve damage to his back which plagued him for the past two-and-a-half-months, Ryder is now training regularly and appeared in good shape, having already lost four kilograms since Christmas.

"It didn't settle down until just recently. It's been a long two-and-a-half-months with my back injury. This has come at a perfect time to get fit again and lose the weight I put on."

With a height, reach and youth advantage, Ryder will be favoured for a relatively easy win over Slater. He is keen for this fight to last longer than when he defeated sports radio host Mark Watson inside two minutes in 2012.

"I'm going to try and see if I can take this a bit deeper, depending on how he comes out. The first time I did it the training took me outside of cricket. It was good to focus on something else. The rush you get in the ring, I really enjoyed it and always wanted to do it again."

Slater has also dropped weight – down eight kilograms to 106kg.

The outspoken blogger, who was at the centre of the Dirty Politics scandal last year, claimed he was not motivated by changing public perceptions.

"For the last 10 years I've been dealing with the unknown. It's not a secret I've battled through depression and nothing is more frightening than that. Most people would have caved with what I went through last year but I'm still here punching with the keyboard and now with the gloves."