2021 Boxing Comebacks: Chapman Rises, Dubois Shines, Szpilka, Kirkland and LaManna Fall

2021 Comebacks: Chapman Rises, Dubois Shines, Szpilka, Kirkland and LaManna Fall

By Robert Brizel, Head Actual Fight Media Boxing Correspondent

The yr 2021 has been a tough one for comebacks, significantly as a result of boxing inactivity brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Some comebacks have succeeded, whereas others haven’t. Here’s a have a look at a number of of them. The exhibition comebacks of Iron Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., and Floyd Mayweather Jr. must be categorized for what they’re, merely exhibitions. As such, exhibition reveals through the pandemic are tolerated, as public sports activities leisure attended by spectators has been restricted to an excellent extent through the pandemic. The exhibitions, which a comeback of kinds for the contributors, are to not be taken severely.

J.D. Chapman went to 30-0 within the heavyweight division, after a 13 yr absence, by successful a 4 spherical unanimous choice over 47-year-old 1-1 MMA fighter Tony “Kryptonite” Lopez as a final minute substitute opponent. Chapman’s comeback victory, whereas considerably important for him, is unlikely to throw shockwaves within the heavyweight camps of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, Joe Joyce, or Oleksandr Usyk. Chapman was in coaching for a July 2021 comeback anyway when he took this bout “alternative”, if one might name beating up on a 47-year-old man however being unable to knock him out for a 30-0 heavyweight a chance.

Daniel Dubois, who suffered a fractured eye socket final yr in his lone loss to Joe Joyce, received the common model of the World Boxing Affiliation World Heavyweight title with a second spherical knockout of Bogdan Dinu. In any case, Joyce’s eye was not threatened on this comeback bout. Whether or not Dubois ought to struggle his desired rematch with Joyce later in 2021, as Joyce is second in line for a WBO World Heavyweight title shot with Anthony Joshua after Oleksandr Usyk, stays to be seen.

Former WBA World Tremendous Welterweight champion Austin Trout received a ten spherical choice over Jose Armando Garcia Galvan in Mexico earlier this yr, and can proceed his comeback with a bout towards Alejandro Davila at The Palm in Dubai this summer time.

Former WBC Tremendous Middleweight and WBA Gentle Heavyweight world champion Badou Jack made a profitable comeback with a fourth spherical stoppage of Derwin Colina, who he dropped 3 times. Method to go.

The 2021 victories by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez over Avni Yidilrim, and Billy Jo Saunders, can hardly be known as comeback wins in function, however in a manner they’re partly, within the sense Canelo has remained energetic through the pandemic, and can proceed to name out all champions and prime flight challengers at 168 kilos.

WBC Champion of Hope, and Former WBC World Gentle Heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson continued his psychological and bodily restoration from a coma, and stays in ongoing rehabilitation. His reminiscence skills are a spotlight of the present rehabilitation. Stevenson is an schooling for all athletes in methods to deal with your self with class after struggling as debilitating harm. The World Boxing Council is to be praised by standing by ex-champ Stevenson all the way in which and really caring. That’s one thing in skilled boxing.

Former Welterweight, Tremendous Welterweight and Middleweight World champion Oscar De La Hoya has talked comeback. Former World Heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, and former heavyweight contender Kevin McBride, each of whom beat Mike Tyson, plan an exhibition later in 2021, which thus far has been postponed as soon as.

Former world heavyweight contender Artur Szpilka, age 32, washed up on Might 30, 2021, getting knocked out within the first spherical in Poland by 13-0 unknown Polish Heavyweight Lucasz Rozanski, age 35, at 2:25 of the primary spherical. Rozanski has by no means fought outdoors of Poland, however he would possibly get the next alternative now with this “massive” win. Possibly Chapman?

James Kirkland, whose comeback as a ballooned tremendous middleweight towards Juan Macias Montiel ended with three knockdowns within the first spherical in Los Angeles this yr, mainly repeated his three ok knockdown loss in 2011 in Las Vegas to Nobihiro Ishida. With out Anne Wolfe, Kirkland exhibited the identical attribute errors, strolling ahead into energy punches, not holding or transferring his head, a flat-footed strategy of doom.

Onetime middleweight contender Osumanu Adama, additionally identified by his title in reverse as Adama Osumanu, was unsuccessful in his comeback try at age 40 after 18 months of inactivity, shedding a six rounder to pale Columbian journeyman Alex Theran. Even with the win, Theran was stopped in three of his final 5 fights in a mean of lower than three rounds, leaving Adama with no excuses.

Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson, a 54 bout heavyweight veteran and onetime contender, has misplaced ten of his final 13 bouts. A current 12 spherical loss at age 41 to 20-0 Agit Kabayel for the WBA Continental title was no higher, as Kabayel received both 10 or 11 out of the 12 rounds on the three judges’ scorecards.

Former WBC Featherweight, and former WBC and WBA Light-weight champion Jorge Linares has received solely three of his final six bouts. Linares has been stopped 5 occasions, twice within the first spherical. Towards Devin Haney, Linares misplaced a choice for the primary time, over 12 rounds, in an unsuccessful try to regain his World Boxing Council Light-weight crown. If Linares had received two extra rounds on two of the three scorecards, the bout would have been a draw, making the overcautious and inexperienced Haney look dangerous as nicely.

Former World Boxing Affiliation and World Boxing Council World Heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin misplaced a 2021 rematch to Dillian Whyte after reportedly being hospitalized for the coronavirus. Whyte didn’t imagine Povetkin had it. A 3rd match may very well be within the works, or Povetkin might proceed his profession towards one other opponent.

Former World Tremendous Welterweight champion, and now World Boxing Affiliation World Middleweight champion Erislandy Lara, age 38, wanted solely 120 seconds to knockout Thomas ‘Cornflake’ LaManna, a welterweight preventing wrongly within the middleweight division, and a laser of three of his final 5. LaManna’s odd behavior of repeatedly fixing his boxing trunks in heart ring whereas preventing made him the right candidate to get timed together with his questionable guard down, and down and out he went.

Onetime tremendous middleweight contender Brian Vera, at age 39, a forty five bout veteran, has misplaced six of his final 9 bouts, having misplaced 5 in a row earlier than that. Vera was unable to win an eight spherical choice or the WBC USNBC Silver title towards Kendrick Ball Jr., whose 18 professional bouts embrace solely three wins over fighters with successful data, whose wins have been in flip additionally over stiffs with shedding data. Vera ought to dangle his gloves up at this level.

Regardless of having opponent Luis Arias down in spherical 9, former World Tremendous Welterweight champion Jarrett Hurd misplaced a ten spherical break up choice to Arias, who had not received a bout in 4 years, and was unable to beat his final three important occasion opponents in succession. Arias has-been Heard. A rematch with Arias for Hurd is a should, however Arias could be silly to grant it because the win over Hurd is all of the profession of the rejuvenated Arias has proper now.

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Robert Brizel – Head Boxing Correspondent

Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Actual Fight Media Boxing since 2013. Robert can be a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State area which incorporates NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts unique interviews, supplies historic boxing articles and supplies editorial ringside protection of main boxing occasions. You may contact or observe Robert on Fb and by e-mail at [email protected].