Police are investigating an attack on the former boxer Michael Watson and his carer that resulted in the one-time world title contender being dragged from a car and needing hospital treatment.

Watson’s boxing career ended in 1991 after he lost a WBO super-middleweight title contest to Chris Eubank in which he suffered a serious brain injury and afterwards spent 40 days in a coma.

On Thursday the 51-year-old, awarded an MBE in 2004 for his charity work, was a passenger in a car being driven through Chingford in Essex by his carer, Lennard Ballack, when the vehicle was struck from behind.

The attackers then pulled Watson out and dragged him along the street, before fleeing the scene in what is believed to have been an attempted car-jacking. Both Watson and Ballack, who had a “suspected noxious substance” sprayed into his eyes, were taken to hospital for treatment of their injuries.

A spokesman for Watson said: “Somebody bumped into the back of the car that Michael and Lennard were in. There didn’t appear to be any damage, but Lennard got out to speak to the people in the car behind them.

“From what I understand, the guys wound down their window and sprayed something in his eyes. The men then went to the car that Michael was in, he had his seatbelt half off by this point, and they dragged him out the car and along the floor.

“We are assuming it was an attempted car-jacking. The men then sprayed Lennard in the eyes again and drove away.”

The suspects left the scene in a different vehicle, while Watson and his friend were left prone on the floor. The spokesman added: “Lennard’s suffering a bit – his eyes are not good. Michael is OK.

“I think he is very, very sore though. He got dragged along the road, so some of the skin has broken badly. I gather the police have been very good, so the aim now is to catch the people who did this.”

The Metropolitan Police issued a statement appealing for anyone with information about the incident to come forward as investigations continue.

“Police were called at 16:53hrs on Thursday 16 February to reports of an attempted robbery on The Ridgeway in Chingford,” the statement read.

“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.

“Anyone with information should contact officers at Waltham Forest via 101. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.”