Return of the comeback
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 08 Jun 2025
Comebacks aren’t rare in pro boxing. For fighters, one of the most difficult career decisions to make is when to retire. It’s because to many, boxing is a way of life and it’s in the blood. You just can’t shake off something you love to do unless Father Time, your body or loved ones tell you the moment has come to hang up the gloves.
What motivates a fighter to un-retire? Missing the adrenaline rush in the ring, the challenge of proving yourself that no matter the age, you’ve still got it. And if your comeback is successful, you push yourself to test how much longer you can do it. Money is a motivation for some or probably, most especially those who find no richer source of income. A noble motivation is fighting to bring honor to the country, to inspire others by proudly raising the flag.
Two comeback champions in boxing history are Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman. Leonard was 34 when he fought Terry Norris in 1991 and 41 in his 1997 return against Hector (Macho) Camacho. The comeback against the 34-year-old Camacho was ill-advised. Leonard, voted for induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame two months before, was dropped and stopped in the fifth round, suffering the only KO loss in his career. It was actually Leonard’s fourth return to the ring, becoming unofficially the fight game’s Comeback King.
Foreman retired in 1977 at 28 then returned 10 years later and failed to regain the world heavyweight crown twice until finally, accomplishing the feat by knocking out Michael Moorer at 45. Foreman had four more fights before retiring for good in 1997 at 48. A fighter who ended an eight-year layoff to come back at 60 was former WBC superlightweight ruler Saoul Mamby, a New Yorker of Spanish and Jamaican descent. Mamby turned pro in 1969 and lost to Anthony Osborne on his return in 2008. His final record was 45-34-6 with 18 KOs. Mamby died in 2019 at 72.
Manny Pacquiao will attempt to follow in Foreman’s footsteps and hopes to regain the world welterweight belt when he faces WBC titleholder Mario Barrios in Las Vegas on July 19. If ever, Pacquiao will be the oldest world 147-pound champion ever at 46. Pacquiao isn’t the only former Filipino champion making a comeback. Nonito Donaire, 42, is joining the bandwagon and will take on Chile’s Andres Campos for the interim WBA bantamweight crown in Buenos Aires, Argentina on June 14. Campos, 28, was only four years old when Donaire turned pro in 2001 and has figured in 20 fights compared to the Filipino Flash’s 50. Donaire hasn’t fought since dropping a decision to Mexico’s Alejandro Santiago in July 2023 while Campos is coming off a KO win over Jimson Garcia last April.
Donaire has collected belts in four divisions and Pacquiao, in eight. Both are boxing icons so when they announced their decision to come back, fans were mesmerized. The world will be watching anxiously as they return to relive their glory in the ring.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
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