BoxRec

Just watching the shell of Riddick Bowe struggle past Billy Zumbrun on Eurosport got me wondering, how many former world-class fighters have actually made successful comebacks to world-class after a lay-off of more than say 2 or 3 years?

I can only really think of Foreman, and his case was slightly unique in that:

1. He had taken a full 10 year break from the early age of 28 and with less than 170 mostly easy rounds on the clock
2. His style was always based around power with less emphasis on movement, speed of reflexes making it an easier style to resume
3. He was one of the all-time greats in his division

I think my Boxrec comeback after two months away has been pretty successful so far.

steve689 wrote:I think my Boxrec comeback after two months away has been pretty successful so far.

Well you made the "allegedly" letter, so Hall of Fame status must be on the cards.

Lol, so i did

Would Muhammed Ali be too obvious?

Gap between '67 and '70.

Herbie Hide, or Riddick Bowe, he is 2-0 remember.

steve689 wrote:Herbie Hide, or Riddick Bowe, he is 2-0 remember.

You piss-taking sod

Micky Ward.

Herol Graham had a modestly successful comeback. After so many years out he ended up getting a shot at Brewer for the IBF title and dropped him twice. Having also beat Vinny Pazienza en route to the title shot.

Sugar Ray Leonard. One fight in five years, and in that he was dropped by a journeyman at Junior-Middleweight.

A couple of retina operations thrown in he comes back to take on an all time great at a weight at which he has never fought. And wins....

liamlion wrote:Herol Graham had a modestly successful comeback. After so many years out he ended up getting a shot at Brewer for the IBF title and dropped him twice. Having also beat Vinny Pazienza en route to the title shot.

His performance vs Chris Johnson in that comeback was particularly impressive.

That defeat was heartbreaking, it was that he was forced to retire. I was glad his fight with Dean Francis was called off, but think he would have made mince meat of Ottke.

stujones wrote:Herol Graham...I was glad his fight with Dean Francis was called off, but think he would have made mince meat of Ottke.

Blimey, you have an excellent memory. I remember really looking forward to that one before it was cancelled.

Chopping Right, wasn't he going to be contesting some vacant title with David Starie when he was forced to retire - there was the Dean Francis proposed match first, I think though it was some other injury that prevented that one.

I can remember the Sky team being quite split over Graham vs Starie, given that both were coming off defeats (Starie's being particularly bad vs Francis).

Eder Jofre.

Loses to Fighting Harada for the second time while attempting to regain his World Bantamweight title.
Retires for over 3 years.
Comes back at the age of 33, steps up to win a World Featherweight title, never to lose again before retiring for good at age 40!

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=011505

stujones wrote:Chopping Right, wasn't he going to be contesting some vacant title with David Starie when he was forced to retire - there was the Dean Francis proposed match first, I think though it was some other injury that prevented that one.

I can remember the Sky team being quite split over Graham vs Starie, given that both were coming off defeats (Starie's being particularly bad vs Francis).

Yes I think you're right, it was Graham v Starie that was cancelled by Herol's retirement. It was scheduled for early 1999 I think and I was looking forward to it as I recall. My memory these days...

mike tyson

red_archerv wrote:mike tyson

Bahave yourself! Define "successful".

jesse brinkley (contender nbc) when he was loosing badly

1 uppercut bam >_< another bam KO

lamphey wrote:Eder Jofre.

Loses to Fighting Harada for the second time while attempting to regain his World Bantamweight title.
Retires for over 3 years.
Comes back at the age of 33, steps up to win a World Featherweight title, never to lose again before retiring for good at age 40!

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=011505

Yep, tremendous shout there. Not only did he comeback to win the title - he beat an excellent champ to do so.

Another fighter, although not if you call it a retirment is Sugar Ray Robinson. I think it was from 1952-1955 he retired to pursue an entertainment career.

When he came back in 1955 he went on to win the Middleweight title a further 3 times including battles with Bobo Olson, Gene Fullmer and Carmen Bassilio.